Just Something Called Life
by BlackSkinnyJeans101
Summary: Max and Fang. Fang and Max. Must I say more? Max's mom doesn't approve of Fang, but her dad adores him. Fang won't let Max meet his parents even after they sleep together for the first time. Iggy, Nudge, and Ella drama about who gets the Igster. This is just something that the flock calls life. Who knew it could be so complicated? LOTS OF FAX! *ON BREAK*
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Every chapter I'm going to type a quote from a TV show and first person to get the show correct gets a shout out! P.S. They'll get harder the more chapters I write up so who can guess this one?**_

"_**At least he knows how you feel."- Stewy**_

_**Pink Panther- "Hey, first time being pink?"**_

"_**Yeah."- Brian**_

_**Pink Panther- "Welcome to Hell."**_

_**Mkay, so what show is that from? It's pretty obvious but, like I said, they'll get harder the more I write and the more likes and reviews I get. Yay, so disclaimer is I no own Maximum Ride, which makes m very sad. Anyways! Enjoy, and I'll be updating 'All My Life' soon.**_

_**-BlackSkinnyJeans101**_

_One_

Morning sunlight streaked through the crack between my curtains and cast bright sun sprawling across the king-sized bed in my bedroom. When it struck my eyes, I pulled the dark comforter over my head and tried to go back to sleep, but it was no use. The snow that was covering the street last night was blinding, but the sunlight is worse. Today was Monday, meaning I had to get up early and go into school to face my arch-nemesis. I threw the blanket off of my body and regretted it as soon as the cold of the room hit my bare shoulders and arms.

My dark purple walls with golden swirls looked fuzzy as my head was spinning and trying to become used to my eyes being open. The golden lamps on the bedside tables on each side of my bed were switched on, meaning my maid was in my room before I woke up. In the corner of my bedroom my bag was packed and ready for me to take to high-school in an hour or so. The doors to my balcony were luckily still locked, since I learned my lesson from yesterday morning when they blew open because they weren't locked.

The news was playing mutely on my flat screen television in on corner of my bedroom with a velvet purple couch, black leather couch, and two lazy-boy recliners pointing to it. A glass coffee table sat in the middle of the TV and furniture with old red roses sat in a vase filled with water. Everything in my bedroom was purple, gold, black, or some other dark color and it did nothing to lighten my mood this morning. I wanted to go back to bed and just miss school for the fifth time this month; it's only the seventeenth, so my parents were pretty pissed already.

Usually Macy, my maid, would wake me up in the morning but today she decided not to even try, good idea on her part. I pushed aside my curtains, trying not to shiver and stared out at the mush of mud and snow covering the yard and roads. A large truck was cleaning off the roads and multiple cars were slowly following behind it, trying to get to work. It was maybe seven o'clock and I had to get to my first period class by eight fifteen, I had plenty of time. Downstairs, though, I could hear my younger sister banging around trying to become perfect before school.

I turned to look at my phone to see if anyone tried to wake me up by calling me when I tripped over the leg of a chair and fell to my purple carpet. "Ugh!" I screamed into the air and forced myself to get to my feet and move over to the white door leading into my bathroom. Blue tiles, white walls, jet bath, the likes along with bare countertops since I find makeup stupid and useless. My bright blue eyes spot my reflection in the mirror and I groan at my tangled blonde hair, tired blue eyes, and slightly pinked face.

Warm water sprayed my body as soon as I stepped into the shower and started to hurriedly wash my hair and body. I stepped out about five minutes later with a purple towel wrapped around my body and a blue towel wrapping my hair. It was freezing this morning after last night's snow flurry, but my principal was too mental to give us a snow day. On my bed was an outfit like always when I stepped into my bedroom and started for my vanity table. I brushed through my wet hair, then I blow dried my hair, and then brushed through it until the blonde strands were flowing to mid-back and not all tangled in a knot.

"Miss Martinez, are you awake?" Macy called through my door; I glanced at it as I was clipping my bra and going for my shirt.

"Yeah, I'm up! And I'll be down for breakfast in five minutes!" I call back grumpily and pull the black top over my head.

Macy hesitantly calls back, "Miss Max, your mother requests you come down right this moment!" and I roll my eyes. Knowing Mom, she wanted to see me head off to school before she goes to work to sell some other happy couple their new home. She made it so obvious she was cheating on Dad, but I decided not to throw myself into the middle of it all.

I yell back in an obviously annoyed tone, "Tell her I'll be down when I'm dressed unless she wants me to go to school naked!" Then I listen as the sound of clacking heels scatter away from my door and down the stairs to tell my mother my 'regrets'.

_**[All of Max's outfits have links on my profile! I'm only saying... typing this once! So get it into your heads! Thank you...]**_

Today I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt with the part above my breasts lace along with the black lace sleeves and a part of the back. Then I slipped into the dark-wash skinny jeans and shoved my socked feet into black buckle-up leather boots. I put my arms into a gray-white leather jacket and zipped it up half-way; I put on a dark blue fedora on my head. To finish it all, I went over to my jewelry box and put silver hoop earrings through the small holes in my ears. Before I leave my bedroom, I slip on some black and gray sunglasses with bars where the shades should be. I drop my leather gray messenger bag over my head so it's cross-body and jog down two staircases to the kitchen.

"Morning," Mom yawns from the head of the table; I barely glance up at her as I sit down at the other end of the table. "Maximum Ivy Martinez, I don't want you wearing those things to school," she snaps at me angrily; I just eat another bite of eggs.

I reply, "I don't really care what you want," and a thick tension settles over the dining room, but it's normal for the two of us now. After I started dating the 'bad boy' of our town seven months ago she's found me disgusting and just a little pest. These were, of course, her words exactly.

She says, "I know you're angry at me since I refuse to meet that little boyfriend of yours, but that doesn't mean you can show me disrespect. Your father and I both agreed you need to act like a Martinez instead of one of the gangly members at your school. I want you to go upstairs this moment and change," but I only glare across the table at her.

"No matter what you do, say, or try is going to make me get up and change into looking like you or the perfect daughter you wanted. I don't care if you want me seeing him or not, so suck it up and leave me the hell alone before I decide to pack up and leave altogether." I growl and she flinches before finishing her food and staying silent, waiting for me to finish so she can watch me leave for school instead of staying home again.

Ella, my younger sister, decided to skip into the dining room at that moment and plop down in front of her fruit salad at one side of the table. Her black hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, her innocent brown eyes were staring between us, but she said nothing for once. Dad was at work early again, he's long since learned family breakfasts had spiraled to Hell months ago. My dad wasn't nearly as pushy as my mom, and he decided that he would love to have my boyfriend as an addition to our 'family'. They both loved sports and I often found the two of them in the living room watching a football game while Mom was at 'work' late.

Mom says, "You look very nice, Ella," and Ella looks over at her with a slight smile. Even the sixteen-year-old can tell when her mother is sleeping with someone other than her father. Ella just does an extremely good job hiding her anger until we're out of her line of vision and hearing.

"We better go," Ella murmurs and I nod as we stand and stalk out of the dining room to my car; I drive us towards the school. Now Ella chats excitedly all the way to school about cheerleader sign-ups and such while I listen to the radio quietly. I was itching to feel my boyfriend's hand in mine and his lips pressing to my lips, my forehead, and my neck; anywhere that makes me shiver.

When I pull up to our school, Ella jumps out and runs to the brick building where eighteen other girls are waving for her to hurry up. I sigh and get out of my car, pulling my jacket tighter around me to block out the cold forcing its way through the thin material of my shirt. Maybe it wasn't my smartest idea to wear a half-lace top on such a freezing day around here in Alaska. I walk towards the school and push through the front doors where heat immediately seeps into my body. Now I'm glad I wore the top as the school was almost to the point it was a sauna; I slipped off my jacket.

"MAX!" JJ, my best friend, shouted at the top of her lungs halfway across the hallway and she takes a running start towards me. Her dark brown hair was streaming behind her, her dark green eyes were wide in excitement, and she was tanner than most people in the school.

I smile, "Hey, JJ, why are you so excited on a Monday?"

"Sam finally asked me out!" she starts jumping up and down, excited out of her mind.

Now I was grinning ear-to-ear for my friend, "Did you say yes?" I tease.

"OF COURSE! OMG! THIS IS SSSOOO EXCITING! DON'T YOU THINK!?" she squeals and pouts when I push on her shoulders to get her to stop jumping. People were staring at us and I glare daggers until everyone turns back to their own business; being the girlfriend of the most badass person in this school has multiple perks.

I start walking towards my locker while talking to JJ, "Calm down and tell me how it happened and when the date is."

That did me in as JJ starts explaining, "So it was just a normal Monday where I was sitting on the bleachers waiting for Star to finish the routine for the cheerleading try-outs. I was about to text you when Sam Fleming comes out of nowhere and sits down beside me; I was so startled that I dropped my phone. He picked it up for me and started to talk about how he liked me a lot and wanted to know if I wanted to go to a movie or something. I hugged him and told him I would, like, a thousand times and he was laughing and smiling and then gave me his phone number."

"When's the date?" I ask her as we near my locker; she has to think back since she was already in dream-land again.

"Oh! Tuesday night around seven fifteen," she answers and grins just as the third person of our girl group joins us. Star has her blonde-streaked brown hair pulled into a high ponytail, her dark blue eyes were shining, and she was glowing.

I ask her teasingly, "How was Ratchet in the janitor's closet this time?" and she flushes a bright pink color. JJ and I start laughing as she blushes and looks around, trying to hide and make excuses for the pinkness as if the cold could make her that dark red.

"He was amazing, as always," she gives up with a wide grin; I roll my eyes at the expression I always wear when I'm usually with my boyfriend.

JJ wrinkles her nose in disgust, "That's almost too personal," and Star laughs, causing multiple guys to turn and look at her.

"Get used to it," I comment dryly, "you'll be the one saying it next," and JJ turns into the red tomato while I'm laughing to myself.

"Where is Mr. Amazing, anyways Max?" Star asks using a fake dreamy tone that I want to gag at, but I only roll my eyes for the hundredth time this morning.

"Maybe he's waiting at her locker, again," JJ says and draws out the 'again' part with a hint of longing in her words.

I shrug and reply, "Not my fault he's perfect," and they giggle; I glare at any guys watching our asses as we walk past. This was the normal morning for us at school since we were known for the guys we date or have dated or the clothes we've worn before. Usually the clothing that I wear that isn't all too appropriate was a dare, and all my friends know I can't back down from a dare.

"What are we talking about?" Kate, the fourth girl to our group, asks as she latches onto Star's side while I'm between Star and JJ. Her black hair was in a pixie cut, her light green eyes were dull and tired this morning, but she looked as great as ever. Her pink lip-gloss was smeared and I knew she got into another make-out session with some guy that hits on her in the mornings.

Star, JJ, and I all sigh and say together, "Who was it this time?" and she glares at us but replies anyways.

"Holden Green," her voice takes on this dreamy-tone and we all stare at her with bulging eyes. This Holden guy was her make-out morning buddy for the second time, which was a first for Kate since it's usually a different guy every day. "I know it's weird, but I really like him. I'm always the one the make the first move. It's never him, ever. And he told me this morning when I wanted to confront him about it but all he said was he didn't want to pressure me into anything. Then I asked him if he wanted to see a movie tonight," she shrugs as if this is nothing and then JJ starts up.

"OMG YOU LIKE HIM! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN LIKE EIGHT YEARS! THIS IS SOOO EXCITING!" she squeals and I slap a hand over her open mouth before she can continue. She was so much like Nudge, our sixth girl that it got really annoying when the two of them were always rambling either together or not.

"Don't start," I groan as we finally reach my locker and I swing it open to start pushing my books and such into the tall but skinny space. "So what's this Holden guy like?" I ask Kate and sort through some papers and books while we wait for the bell to ring.

"He's so romantic," Kate sighs and continues before Star or Kate can interrupt and start asking embarrassing questions. "This morning he put a rose and poem in my locker with a little note telling me he wishes that Friday wasn't just a fling. So of course I had to go up to him and confront him about it, which about five minutes later made me kiss him. But it was different; this time I actually saw fireworks behind my eyelids and I just felt sparks and everything." She stops suddenly and realizes she was rambling about a guy out of all the people she could ramble about.

"Well, I'll see you guys in class," JJ says abruptly and they all spin around at the same time and stalk off together. I turn back to my locker and slam the door shut just as two arms move around my waist and pull me back into a sturdy chest.

"Hey," the smooth voice murmurs in my ear and he kisses the top of my head as I smile and turn around in his arms.

I reply, "Good morning," and reach up to wrap my arms around his neck; he smiles at me like he always does when it's the two of us. His shaggy black hair looked messed up in all the best ways and I ran my fingers through it, playing with the silky strands. Those intense onyx eyes that held golden specks were staring into my own and he was stealthily moving me backwards. My back pressed against the cool lockers and I studied his olive-toned exposed arms and his rock hard, yet perfectly comfy eight-pack of abs.

"Morning, Gorgeous," he says right before gently pressing his lips to my own; I smile and kiss him back before pulling away. If a teacher caught us again then I would be caught for the sixth time in three weeks and I would be suspended.

I sigh and pull my bag back over my head, "Fang, we can't get caught again; my mom already hates you enough." He chuckles and instead grabs onto my hand to pull me to our class; those same annoying tingles run through the skin that collides with his.

"Your mom has hated me since we were four-years-old and I moved into your neighborhood," he comments with a slight smile. People stare as the star couple of the school walk down the hall together, hands attached while they talk. Fang Ride has been considered as the 'bad boy' of our small town and he's known for almost everything he does. He's captain of the school's basketball, football, and racing teams so it's impossible for him to ever get suspended or detention.

The school's racing team is like NASCAR but with teens in the cars they 'decorate' and they compete with different schools. Fang earned the name Fang from his racecar that I helped paint so there's a huge fang on the hood and the side. I thought it was pretty badass, but back then Fang and I were only friends so he freaked and refused to drive it. The next day at school people seemed to forget about his actual name, Nicholas or Nick, and started calling him Fang. Now he would only drive that car when he was racing and I had to be at the pit-stops since I'm considered his good luck charm or whatever.

One night I came to one of his races and stood in the pit-stop to talk to him when he pulled in and so I could encourage him. That first race, he was terribly nervous and I kissed him to try and calm him down or whatever and I realized then that I liked him more than just a best friend. He won that race and I started coming to all of his races, he won every one of those until one race I had volleyball practice so I couldn't go. He lost that race in seventh place and the one after that when I felt sick, then I went to the race after that and he won. After that race I was considered his good-luck charm and he believed it so I went to every race and every game he has.

We started dating soon after and I was the first one to confess my love for him at a race when he was really nervous. He was going against one of the best school's in Alaska and he was practically ready to run away from it. So I went by his window, kissed him hard on the mouth, and finally told him what I was thinking for the past four months. He said it in a much calmer voice back to me and kissed me passionately for a minute and he won that race. Ever since then we've been the star couple of our school and we even had a title that half the school came up with: The Seventh Month Couple That Said They Loved Each Other And Haven't Slept Together Yet. Yeah, I'm serious.

Now I shrug and reply with a smile, "I really don't care," he squeezes my hand before we walk into our classroom together.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Aloha peeps here is the usual quote from some TV show, who can guess and get it right? Let's find out!**_

"_**How does someone lose fifty times to Heads vs. Tails?" -Joey**_

"_**Well what were the rules?"- Ross**_

"_**Heads she wins, tails I lose… Wait a minute…" –Joey**_

_**I'm pretty sure I got some of that wrong, but I don't really care at the moment! They shall be getting harder as we go, so if you're like 'Psh! This is too easy!" then you better eat your words! Disclaimer: I no own Maximum Ride, I is sad at this statement. Enjoy!**_

_**-BlackSkinnyJeans101**_

_Two_

"Ah, it seems the couple has decided to join us after all," our teacher, Mr. Berk, snaps as Fang and I walk into his classroom looking like the perfect couple. But we aren't the perfect couple. We fight, we yell, we ignore each other sometimes, but we have never broken up even for a short amount of time. I roll my eyes and break away from Fang to sit down beside Nudge at my seat; Fang sits on the stool across the aisle from my own.

I look at Mr. Berk and reply easily, "You may continue." Half the class snickers as the old man spins on his heel and continues to write instructions on the board. Fang looks over at me, winks, and then turns his head to talk to his best guy friend, Iggy on his other side.

"Still in love with my brother, huh?" Nudge asks sarcastically but happily from the stool beside mine and I look over at her with a smile. Her brown hair was scraped into a ponytail, her doe brown eyes were glued to her notebook as she writes down whatever's on the board up front, and her mocha-skin looked as clean as ever.

When Nudge was a baby, she was placed in an adoption center and she lived there until she was seven-years-old. That's when Fang's parents, no longer able to have another child after a severe accident, came to find another child. They instantly loved Nudge and decided to take her home to eight-year-old Fang; he's been protective of her ever since. At times I had to fight with Fang about Nudge going out on dates with guys alone; I usually won after pretending to cry. He was always a big softy when it came to girls crying; he just couldn't stand to see them cry for some reason. Last month Fang turned eighteen and in two months I will turn eighteen, as well; Kate, Nudge, Star, and JJ are all seventeen.

Under my breath I reply, "Maybe," and see her grin as I write down some notes and just move through the motions of the class. We did notes and Fang and I were passing notes all during the class period with the occasional shared look. Nudge got annoyed at one point and ripped the ninth piece of paper we were using in half; Fang watched her, bemused.

We did some experiment where Iggy ended up blowing up a pencil with some glue, a paperclip, and some ink cartage. This made some papers on Mr. Berks desk catch fire since Iggy purposefully put it on his desk when he went up to get some more paper. The whole class, minus Fang, laughed loudly while Fang just smirked and shook his head slightly; my heart seriously fluttered. Other than that, and a show of watching Iggy stomp out of the classroom to the office and then come back five minutes later, making Mr. Berks angry about him not getting a larger punishment, the class was the same as always. Boring.

But my thoughts were set solely on the date Fang promised me tonight when we were talking the night before. Every night he'll call me around eleven and tell me goodnight and that he loves me, and I reply, which ends up in us talking. When he offered to take me on a date for the first time in two weeks I hurriedly agreed even if I would have to sneak out of the house just to go. Even though he lives right across the street, he's not allowed to come to my house to pick me up for school anymore. It was a onetime deal when he accidently ran a red-light and we were taken to the town jail, but I didn't really care. I was with Fang and that was all that mattered.

After class, I peck Fang on the lips before spinning on my heel and going to Math with JJ and Star on each side of me. Both were rambling about something but I was barely listening until we entered our classroom and went to our assigned seats. "Maxie-kins!" a voice calls as Iggy steps into the classroom and plops down in the seat behind mine like always. "You have once again slayed my dragon of a best friend, and I thank you!" he exclaims even if I'm only a few inches away.

I turn in my seat and reply, "Did he get into another fight with his dad?" and Iggy nods solemnly; I bite down on my bottom lip. "I'll talk to him later," I assure Iggy and he nods again as a wide smile spreads over his face again.

"You two are in lllooovvveee and it's annoying but adorable!" he calls and I wonder where our teacher is at a time like this. Other students were looking over at us strangely, but they turn away again when the two of us team up to glare at them. Iggy isn't very intimidating alone but with Fang and me as his best friend's, he can be pretty scary when he glares at you. Today his strawberry-blonde hair was spiked up, his crystal blue eyes were glittering like always, and he was still unnaturally pale since he doesn't like fake tans and he hates cold weather.

When I was seven and Fang was eight, eight-year-old Iggy Griffiths moved to town and made a huge deal of annoying Fang. After only a week the two were inseparable and he was soon added to the growing flock as he befriended all of us. He and I are like brother-sister close and he told me everything and gossiped about anything with me at the most random times. We had our sleepovers after I convinced my mom he was gay and he was allowed in my room but we have to sleep in different rooms during our sleepovers. We've been friends ever since and I knew I could talk to him about anything; he was the best brother anyone could have.

Class starts after a few minutes with me chatting with Iggy about the weekend and how he plans on asking Ella out. The two of them have had crushes on each other for a year, but Ella's too stubborn to admit she likes him to his face. So we always go through lunches together with the two of them staring at each other making goo-goo eyes. I only did that during the honeymoon stage of my relationship with Fang and now it was more of a hold hands under the table thing. Or sometimes he'll purposely run his hand up and down my thigh and smirk when he knows shivers are running down my spine from his touch.

When lunch finally comes I find Fang waiting outside of my classroom, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Girls were swooning at him on all sides and I was glaring but then giving them triumphant looks when I press myself against him. They huff away and I finally turn to look him in his eyes; he was raising his eyebrows and watching the girls stalking away with pissed expressions. "Was someone jealous, Beautiful?" he asks and brushes some hair from in front of my eyes; I smile slightly.

Even as a 'bad boy', Fang never called me 'sexy' or 'hot'; it was always 'gorgeous' or 'beautiful' and a couple of times 'love'. It was adorable because he lived in England for the first four or five years of his life so there was this British tone to his voice and sometimes he would talk British-like. He would make a show of calling me Love and brushing hair behind my ear when we were in front of a group of guys that were staring at me. "Was someone cocky, Darling?" I mock and he grins at me before leaning in for a kiss; he just barely brushed his lips against mine.

"Maybe," he murmurs and we start walking towards the cafeteria where the rest of our group is waiting for us.

I ask as we walk slowly through the halls, "Where are you taking me tonight?" and he smirks.

"We're going to the park," he answers shortly and removes his hand from mine to wrap an arm around my shoulders. He pulls me into his side and I slip my hand into his back jeans pocket like I've done since I saw some movie. There's no surprise on his face as we walk down the halls with his arm over my shoulders and my hand in his back pocket. Ever since I turned five, Fang was suddenly taller than me and now the top of my head reaches about three inches past his shoulder.

"And what are we doing at the park?" I ask after a moment of us calmly walking past the on-looking students.

He replies, "Stuff," and I glare up at him playfully until he pushes through the doors of the cafeteria and eyes turn on us. Fang kisses the top of my head before breaking off from my side to get his lunch while I go over to our group table and pull out my lunch.

Nudge, Iggy, Ratchet, Kate, Star, Gazzy, Ella, Angel, Ari, a guy most-likely Holden, JJ, and Sam are all around the table. Once Fang joins us we'll be the flock, not necessarily popular but known, which is better than being popular in my book. I sit down beside Star and set all my lunch out around me on the top of the table; Fang sat down beside me. "So," Gazzy starts, "this is Holden?" he asks and looks at the guy sitting beside him in a very awkward manner.

"ZOMG! Hi, I'm Nudge! This is Max, Fang, Kate, Gazzy, Star, Ari, Angel, JJ, Sam, Iggy, Ratchet, and Ella! Welcome to the flock! As soon as you're officially with Kate, you'll be one of us! Well as long as Fang and Max agree! We all had this like silent conversation when we nominated Fang as the leader of this table and everything! SO, how old are you?! I bet you're eighteen, right?! Anyways, I mphg," Nudge was cut off by Iggy's hand slapping over her mouth.

"NUDGE MY EARS ARE BLEEDING!" Iggy yells and everyone in the cafeteria looks over at us; I look down with a slight smile. The top of Iggy's ears turned red while Nudge was staring down at the hand covering her mouth; she licked his hand. He yelped and tore his hand away; Ella was steaming beside the two and I wondered what got her into a twist.

JJ rolled her eyes and turned to me, "So what are you and Fang going to do tonight?" she asks with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle.

"We're going to the park," Fang says and his fingers trail up and down my thigh on my jeans; my cheeks are tinted pink. "For a romantic evening," he says evenly and JJ grins brightly and I knew she had a plan brewing her head.

She says slowly, "Max, we'll be coming over around five forty-five to get you ready," and then turns to talk to Nudge before I can object. I groan and drop my head onto Fang's shoulder as he chuckles silently making my head move on his shaking shoulder.

"Shut up," I mutter and slap him playfully in the chest; he grunts at the hit and I wonder how hard I actually hit him. I turn to Kate and start telling her about what my mom did this morning; she listened and laughed when I tried the impression of my mom. "And then Ella came into the room and that just barely made me want to slap Mom less, but I really felt like it."

Kate rolls her eyes and replies, "You know your mom would send you to boarding school if you so much as touch her." I nod solemnly and I feel Fang's arm around my waist tighten as he listens in on our conversation; I run my fingers up and down the arm around my waist. Goosebumps line the arm and I smirk but continue to talk to Kate as I make my boyfriend more nervous with every stroke.

A few months ago I was talking to Fang in his bedroom about what I wanted to do with my life in a few years or whatever. It was already decided that Fang and I would go to the same college no matter where it is; he told me he never wanted me out of his sight. I thought that was the sweetest thing to say so I kissed him as hard but sweetly as I could at that moment. Our shirts were off and I was going for his jeans when he stopped me and told me he actually wanted to wait for us to do that.

I was stunned to say the least and then embarrassed until he kissed me some more and I just fell asleep with him. Ever since then I do everything I can to make him look nervous instead of me and it usually works like that now for an example. His other hand is suddenly pressed against my lower back and his finger is making patters on the exposed skin between my jeans and my shirt. It takes everything I have to keep most of my attention of Kate as she talks to me about some new boots at the mall or something.

"So do you want to go?" Star asks suddenly as Fangs cool fingers slipped down past the waistband of my jeans. I yelp and yank his hand back by his wrist; he smirks while the rest of the table looks confused and amused by my reaction.

He asks, "What's wrong Maxie?" and grins while I glare daggers at him.

"Fang, are you ready for the race this weekend?" Ratchet, Star's boyfriend, asks after a few moments of silence.

After a second Fang turns away from me to look at him, "Yeah as long as my lucky charm is there to cheer me on." He replies and shoots me a look from the corner of his eye; his hand twines with mine under the table.

"I heard Dylan Riley's competing," Angel comments and brushes some blonde hair behind her ear and her baby blue eyes looked down. "And you know how he gets," she mutters under her breath and we all nod around the table; I squeeze Fang's hand.

"Maybe you shouldn't race against him again," Nudge says quietly, "Last time you got really hurt and we don't want that to happen again. I mean your whole car flipped over and you were in a coma for days and now you have that scar on your back. Max was like crying," she rambles and then shuts up when she sees my glare.

I abruptly stand and leave the cafeteria hurriedly, trying to get the image of Fang bruised and bloodied out of my head. One of the times I didn't make a race, Fang's car was hit and he went rolling across the grass area in the middle of the track. Everyone was screaming as he rolls and most of the other racers screech to a stop, other than Dylan Riley. The blonde-haired wonder kept going until he passed the finish line, but no one cheered as he was handed his trophy. I was watching this on TV until the crash and I ran all the way to the hospital where Fang was in critical treatment.

That was one of the first times I broke down in tears and just sobbed while Fang was in a deep coma with broken bones. He was hurt terribly and when the TV's showed it was Dylan that hit him dead-on, I went out for revenge. By the time Fang woke up, Dylan was the one in critical treatment and I was the one being bailed out of jail by my dad. I was the first one to find Fang awake in his hospital bed, looking like he went through a shredder then into a shark tank. For half an hour, Fang let me cry into his shoulder and he brushed his fingers through my hair while I let it all out.

After that the flock knew I hated anyone bringing it up even if it was just a slip of the tongue or whatever. Now I let myself into the janitor's closet where I usually go when I just want to be alone for a little while. I climb up on the top shelf in the closet and lay down with my head resting on my bag while I just think. A few moments later after daydreaming of the date tonight I drifted off and fell asleep on the shelf.

"Max," a soft voice floats to my ears and a hand starts to lightly shake my shoulder but I refuse to open my eyes. "Come on, Gorgeous, school's over and your mom is going to freak," the voice talks again and fingers run through my blonde hair. The voice gets an annoyed edge to it, "If you don't get down, I'm going to pull you down," the voice warns but I only mutter something under my breath. I think I said Fang but I was so out of it that I didn't really care.

Suddenly, my arm was being jerked and I was falling with my eyes flying open at the same time two sturdy arms caught me. My eyes locked with Fang's as I said tiredly, "Drive me home," and snuggled into his chest, still wiped out. His chest shook as he chuckled silently and he shifted me so he was carrying me bridal-style.

"Fine, but you have to walk up your driveway," he agrees and I reach up my arms to wrap them around his neck. He sighs, "You're lucky I love you," and I laugh quietly as he starts to walk down the empty hallways in his usual strides. A few minutes later there's muffled conversation and then I'm being placed on familiar black leather seats. "Nudge is taking your sister home," Fang tells me halfway to my house after I've woken up enough to study my eyes on him.

I ask worriedly, "What about my car?"

"Don't worry, Ratchet and Star are taking it to your house; they're a few miles ahead of us," he replies and turns into the forest path leading back to my neighborhood.

A song comes on the radio and I whine to Fang, "Sing for me."

"No," he replies instantly.

"Please?" my eyes go wide and he makes the mistake of glancing over at me and my fake unshed tears; he sighs.

"Fine, but only for you," he agrees grumpily and starts to softly sing along to the radio in that lulling voice he has. _**[A/N: LOVE THIS SONG! Shadows and Regrets By: Yellowcard]**_

"_I'm back, back in town_

_And everything has changed_

_I feel, feel let down_

_The faces stay the same_

_I see, see shadows_

_Of who we used to be_

_When I drive, drive so slow_

_Through this memory_

_When we were only kids_

_And we were best of friends_

_And we hoped for the best_

_And let go of the rest_

_I heard, heard myself_

_Say things I take back_

_If I could, could retell_

_And make these stories last_

_I see, see shadows_

_Of who we'll always be_

_When I drive, drive these roads_

_That made our memories_

_When we were only kids_

_And we were best of friends_

_And we hoped for the best_

_And let go of the rest_

_With shadows and regrets_

_We let go of the rest_

_Everything has changed_

_The faces stayed the same_

_Everything has changed_

_The faces stayed the same_

_And we were only kids_

_And time couldn't end_

_And how tall did we stand_

_With the world in my hands_

_And we were only kids_

_And we were best of friends_

_And we hoped for the best_

_And let go of the rest_

_The shadows and regrets_

_We let go of the rest_

_The shadows and regrets_

_We let go of the rest_

The song ends and I grin as I lean over and kiss his cheek lightly, "I love you, Fang," I whisper into his ear causing him to shiver. My grin fades as he pulls the car up in front of the gates leading into my house only to see someone all-too familiar standing inside of them.

###

_**A/N: Yesterday's quote was from: Family Guy. SOOOO congrats to: justcallmejoey! YOU ROCK! MKAY! HOPE YOU ENJOYED!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Look at me, back from Pari! I'm kidding, I've never been to Paris, but I hope to go at some point in time. Anyways here you go my besties, this time I'm doing a movie quote, but not many people have seen this movie. Here's the quote and the more people that get it, the more I'll update! If you don't know, then at least try!**_

"_**Tucker, I think he's gonna walk it off!"- Dale**_

"_**I don't think he's gonna walk it off, now Dale."- Tucker**_

_**I love that movie! *SQUEALS!* Anyways I no own Maximum Ride! Here's the chappie!**_

_**-BlackSkinnyJeans101**_

_Three_

"Shit, not her again," Fang curses and shuts off the engine to lean back against his seat with his head in his hands. I reach over and rub his back like he does to me when I'm stressed; he hated her more than I did no matter what happened. My younger twin sister, Maya Martinez, stands glaring at us behind the gates with her arms crossed over her chest. Her light brown hair was curled and piled on the top of her head while her dark brown eyes were hard and uncaring.

I flick her off through the tinted windows even if she can't see then lean over and kiss Fang quickly before unbuckling my seatbelt. That is until Fang cups to back of my neck and pulls me in for a longer kiss with his arms wrapped around my waist. His tongue trails over my bottom lip and I open my mouth for him so our tongues can touch and then wrestle. I put my hand under his shirt, causing him to freeze just for a second in shock so I can pin his tongue down. The same sparks that always come are there again and fireworks light up behind my eyelids just like always.

This feeling never got old with his arms holding me to him after he pulls me over the middle console and into his lap. I angle my head slightly to kiss him deeper and we don't pull away until we have to breathe, but that doesn't stop him from peppering kisses up and down my neck. His teeth nip at the pulse point on my neck and I gasp while he smirks into the exposed skin and sucks at the nipped skin. He presses his tongue against the same spot and I know tomorrow I would have a hickey, but I didn't really care.

"Fang," I whine as he continues at my neck leaving the hickey darker than ever; I was too caught up in his touches to care at all. He drags his lips up my neck while his hands move under my shirt and starts to draw patterns on my back. His soft lips press back to mine softly but with a Fang-like determination evident in his ways; I kiss back easily. This time it's a sweet kiss without the wrestling and instead with just the sparks and fireworks between us. We pull away to breathe and he pecks my lips once more with the same gentleness from the first kiss we shared before the one I gave him at the race through his window.

_*Flashback to Eight Months Before*_

_Music blasted around my bedroom with my windows thrown open to let in some cool air float in and wipe away the heat hanging in the air. Papers and textbooks were strewn all over the floor around me in a circle with pencils, pens, and highlighters. One of my teachers that wanted to make my life a living hell is giving my class a three-hundred question test because most of us were talking while he was teaching today. The sun was just going down when a rumbling car pulled into my driveway and I could hear the familiar shouts of my best friend._

_The sound of my mother yelling then the thumping of combat boots coming up the stairs didn't shake me from my studies. When my bedroom door opened I already knew Fang was standing in the doorway in his usual dark attire. "Close the door," I command without looking at him and the door shuts a second later, "and lock it," I add as a second thought._

"_What're you doing?" Fang asks after the deadlock clicks so I know my mom wouldn't be able to get in my room without the key that I hid somewhere out in the hall. He plops down crisscross applesauce on the other side of my book barrier; I barely glance up at him. When I do, I'm shocked to see he's only wearing his jeans, combat boots, and black leather jacket without a shirt on under it, but what shocked me the most was his chest. The teen had a perfect eight-pack of abs and I realized that's why my mom was screaming at him more than usual._

_I stutter slightly, "I-I'm studying f-for that-t test tomorrow," and I look down when pink takes over my cheeks. The gaze following my every move is evident and for some reason I'm suddenly self-conscious in my night outfit. My tight dark blue tank-top is suddenly too tight and the low cut is suddenly too low and showing too much cleavage. And my black and white polka-dotted silk short-shorts are suddenly too short and are too revealing of my long, tan legs._

"_Max, are you alright?" Fang asks and I finally look up where my eyes lock onto his and I see how cute he really is. Since we've been best friends I always thought of him like the brother I never had but now was different. Now was intense and now was where I realized all those brother-sister feelings weren't actually brother-sister feelings. They were a lot more than just best friend or sibling emotions; this was the one thing I thought I thought I would never find. Love._

_So I take the risk and start to slyly move the books between us out of the way and placing them on top of other books and notebooks. "No," I murmur and move closer to him, "I'm not alright," I finish and he looks at me with wondering dark eyes._

"_How come?" he asks in a slightly breathless tone since we were just inches from leaning in so our lips press together. This was bad, I realized, because Fang had a girlfriend and he seemed to be happy enough with her but I had to know. I needed to know if those butterflies I got in my stomach whenever I saw Fang were true or misleading._

_I reply quietly, "I'm not alright because Brigid has you and not me," and then I lean forward the rest of the way. He doesn't have time to reply as I just barely press my lips to his cheek, not wanting to go as far as feeling as if he's cheating on his girlfriend. When he doesn't say anything and my lips are tingling, I go to move away, slightly offended until he grabs onto my wrist._

"_You missed," he murmurs and presses his lips against mine to the point I close my eyes and watch the fireworks for the first time. We pull back, not wanting to push it, and we just stare at each other for a minute or two, too shocked to do anything. "Do you wanna go see a movie tomorrow night or something?" Fang finally asks and I blush and look down._

_I reply, "Sure, that sounds like a lot of fun," and he smiles one of his rare smiles at me._

_*End of Flashback*_

I sigh as we pull away and I slide back over into my seat and off of his lap, "I better go, but I'll see you tonight." Fang nods and I get out of his car, shut the door, and watch him pull back out on the road with his hand sticking out the window to wave at me. Maya glares after the car but it couldn't even make a butterfly flinch if she tried; I smirked at her pissed expression.

"Where were you? Mom was getting worried when Ella came home and you didn't! She thought your boyfriend finally kidnapped you!" Maya was always the goody-goody when it came to our family but she was supposed to be at private school this year. By the way she was dressed in winter clothing I knew she would be staying for a while, meaning she'd try to get back with her boyfriend, Dylan. This is one of the largest reasons we didn't get along; she liked the man that bruised and bloodied the man I'm in love with.

I shove my shoulder against hers as soon as the gates swing open and I walk onto our property, "I don't care, Maya. When are you going to realize this?" I snap and she yells at my back as I walk up the driveway leading to the large fountain surrounded by our pebble driveway.

My mom was the richest relator there is in the country and my dad runs four hundred diners all over the world. He also works at some rich lab where he's the president or something and he gets paid in large amounts. I never liked looking like the other rich, snobby kids at my school so I only used my unlimited credit-card for clothes and usually boots. Yes, my room cost a fortune and the gym, game-room, theater, art studio, dance studio, and indoor pool I had built in. But it was all built in when I was seven and wanted to have everything I could so my mom would have to work more and more so she was never usually home.

Even with all of this, though, my dad was home more than my mom was and he actually liked to spend time with me. Fang always came over to watch football games in the theater with my dad, Jerry, and sometimes I would join them. My mom, Ciara, was the problem; she was the one that wouldn't even meet Fang now before judging him. He came over a lot before we started dating, but when we got together my mom instantly hated him even more than before. She always hoped I would date Dylan instead of Maya, but those dreams went crashing when I realized I loved Fang.

"Max!" Dad exclaims as soon as I walk into the theater and drop down on the longest couch with my knees pulled to my chest. He had X-Men the Movie up on the screen and he mutes it as I fumble with my hair and turn to look at him.

"Hey, Dad, how was work?" I ask him quietly and he tucks a strand of blonde hair behind my ear.

He ignores my question and asks instead, "What's on your mind?"

Instead of rambling, I give him the short version, "Tonight Fang and I are going out for our eighth month anniversary, but I have to find a way to get past Mom. You know how she is, so I need your help to figure out an excuse," and I watch my awesome dad grin evilly.

"Don't worry about it," he says, "I needed an excuse to go bowling tonight with the guys so you can say you and I are going out for some father daughter bonding. We both get off the hook," he nudges me with his shoulder and I shove him back with a smile now spreading across my face. "Is Fang coming over for the game Thursday night?" he asks with a hint of longing; out of all of his friends he claims Fang is the best. Get your head out of the gutters people!

"I think so, I'll ask tonight and get back to you," I reply and then my dad and I make small talk until I have an hour until my date. "We need to leave in an hour so I can meet Fang at the gates," I tell my Dad and he waves me off with a roll of his eyes. I walk back upstairs and into my bedroom where I'm not surprised to find Nudge, Angel, JJ, Kate, and Star lounging on my bed.

They don't even greet me before I'm shoved into my bathroom and Nudge yells, "Take a long and hot bubble-bath while we pick out some clothes for you!" So I switch on the warm water of my bath and dump half a bottle of soap into the water as it builds up to the point where it's almost touching the top of the tub. I slip out of my clothes and jewelry and step into the warm water to sink into the yummy smelling water and bubbles.

About a half hour later, Nudge instructs me to get out after rinsing out my hair and to get into my bathrobe before leaving. I scrub my hair and rinse out the soap before getting out of the tub and pulling on my purple bathrobe and tying the string tightly. Then I'm dragged out of the bathroom and forced to sit down on the padded seat in front of my vanity table. The mirror part is covered in a dark towel so I wouldn't be able to see my reflection until they were done 'perfecting me' or whatever they call it. I call it just plain torture.

The girls set about on my hair and make-up first with Angel drying through my wavy hair and brushing out the tangles. Then they pass around the curling iron to curl the wavy strings and get them to sit on my shoulders perfectly. My torture starts when Nudge lifts up a pair of pliers and starts yanking hairs out from around my eyebrows. While she's doing this, Ella and Kate are taking care of my fingernails and Star and Angel are taking care of my toenails. I feel all pampered by the time Nudge finishes plucking at my eyebrows and the girls finish my twenty nails.

On my bed is an outfit and they force me into my bathroom with only the outfit to change into; I stare at the outfit for a moment. It was surprisingly really hot. The top was black with dark blue stripes and the back of the top was black lace in flower and vine patterns. Over the top would be a black bike leather jacket to keep the cold off of my back, most likely. Then there were so buckle-up heeled black boots that I would be able to walk in. This was all paired with a black mini-skirt that went mid-thigh with zippers and a belt to make it look more badass than preppy. The jewelry was a pair of simple dark blue feather earrings, a black skeleton ring for my middle finger, and a black crochet beanie.

I couldn't see what I looked like yet because the mirrors in the bathroom were also covered just so I could see myself. "I'm done!" I call through the bathroom door and it swings open where my friends are staring slack-jawed at me.

"Max, you should totally wear mini-skirts more often!" Angel squeals and pulls me back to the vanity table chair. Angel had curly blonde hair that made it frame her face and it looked sort of like a halo; this helped us pick out her nickname. Even at seventeen, her light blue eyes were still wide and innocent even at the worst of times, which was freaky in a way. She was only pale because she'd recently been working at the animal shelter downtown and was inside all day now.

They started gossiping as they do my make-up slowly as we have fifteen or so minute before Fang shows up. "I heard Iggy was going to ask Ella out soon," Nudge says suddenly and I'm the only one to notice the tension in her tone. Ella and Nudge have had crushes on Iggy since he went through puberty and got some meat on his bones. He was cute, yes, but Fang was the sexiest man you'd ever meet dead or alive, and every girl in school knew this for a fact.

"Remember the rules," I snap when I see Ella and Nudge were suddenly glaring at each other from one of their silent conversations they have with their eyes. They both look at me and nod solemnly before going back to messing with makeup to put on my face for the night.

When they both proclaimed their crushes for Iggy at a sleepover, the girls all made a special pact together. If two girls fell for the same guy in our group then no one can date him until he chooses for himself which one he wants. If Iggy goes out with Ella and asks her to be his girlfriend, Ella has to confront Nudge about it first to make sure it was alright. This rule was to prevent any fights between the group so we'll all be best friends no matter what happens. Me dating Fang has made the group stronger than ever in some ways; I can't explain it but they can, apparently.

"What do you think, Max?" Kate suddenly asks and I snapped back to attention.

"About what again?" I ask slowly and I can feel Kate rolling her eyes with a silent scoff.

She starts again, "Holden asked me out and I said yes, but then Taylor Cartney asks me out and, since he's one of the hottest guys in school, I tell him yes. When I was in my car I realized I had agreed to two dates for the same night, and now I don't know which one to cancel."

I think this over and reply, "You said with Holden you see sparks, right?"

"Yeah," she says and then asks, "How is it when you and Fang kiss? Has it lost that special spark or what?"

A little laugh escapes between my lips at the thought of us losing the spark we share or the fireworks we make. "It's as fantastic as ever," I start softly and they all pester me about explaining in full detail and not just a few words.

"Come on, Max," Star urges loudly, "It's only us, and we all know you're dying to let the poetry side of you escape." This wasn't exactly true but I didn't want to deal with their pestering so I continue anyways while they listen intently.

"When we kiss all I can feel, taste, smell, see is Fang because that's what I want. When I close my eyes I see the fireworks and can feel Fang smiling against my lips because he sees them too. There's this spark we have when we kiss that can never get old, and every time it feels like we're kissing for the first time. It's like the whole world just stops and fades to just us for that moment in time, no matter how long or soft it is because it's the reaction you get that matters."

This is the point where I notice the girls have finished my makeup, and they're now standing around me, gawking at me and only me. Then they start to clap and I feel embarrassed about all of my inner thoughts that just spilled out of my mouth. "That was amazing! I hope I get to feel that when I'm older!" Nudge sighs dreamily and sways back and forth with her arms wrapped around herself. The other girls are talking and commenting each other on their good work of my total make-over, which I was itching to see.

"Come on!" Kate pulls me out of my chair and over to my full-length mirror; they all yank off the towel covering it. I stare at the badass but gorgeous girl staring back at me through the mirror with her flowing hair and long, tanned legs. Her eyelids were covered in a light layer of smoky eyeshadow, eyeliner lines the bottom of her top eyelid, and her eyelashes were in a light layer of mascara. Her eyebrows were now shaped and pretty and she looked flawless, and I could tell by my eyes that the girl in the mirror was actually me.

That's when we all heard the knock on my bedroom door, signaling Fang was waiting at the gates.

###

_**A/N: Last TV show was "Friends", which is one of my favorite TV shows! Anyways hope you enjoyed the chappie! And congrats to: Erinmr13, MouthOfLightning, TheRashinator, justcallmejoey, and Eric! I decided to give shout-outs to the first five people instead of one because I luv all of you! Hope you enjoyed! Peace!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: I'm not going to ramble and bore you so I shall go ahead and do the disclaimer and quote then I'll let you read. Mkay? Mkay.**_

"_**Back to you Evan Backstabber… Oops I mean Bastard… Bax-ter…"- Bruce**_

_**Hehe, well there you go! I no own Maximum Ride! P.S. This chapter contains scenes of sex but none of it is too graphic! You have been warned! Yay! Okay here you go!**_

_**-BlackSkinnyJeans101**_

_Four_

"Hurry, Miss," Macy hushes and rushes me down the stairs and past the library where Maya was studying some textbook. Then we blow by the dining room where my mom is talking on the phone with pamphlets and papers were spread out in front of her. Ever since I started dating Fang, Macy has been my cover-up and she always helped me sneak out when I needed her. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a tight bun, leaving her insanely bright brown eyes in full view.

Ella whisper hurriedly, "This is so exciting!" since she always dated guys that Mom approved of but Dad didn't. She never had to sneak out before and she's such a goody-goody that she wouldn't even think about trying.

Nudge, Ella, Kate, and Star were my back-up in case Maya decides to come into the hall for some odd reason. They were watching my back and sides to make sure; I nervously wiped my hands down on the revealing skirt. Kate rolls her eyes and hushes Ella, "Be quiet before your bitch of a sister hears you!" a small laugh escapes me. We were maybe three doors away from my escape; I tug my jacket tighter around me; it was freezing out and I was wearing a mini-skirt, how logical is that? Don't answer that.

"Have a nice time," Macy whispers as we finally reach the front door and I step out into the cool night where my dad was waiting. He looks me up and down with two raised eyebrows before wrapping an arm over my shoulders and starting to walk with me down the driveway towards Fang's black jeep sitting outside our wrought-iron gates.

Dad starts, "Now, Maximum, I know you're seventeen and almost eighteen so I realize you have cravings for sex because of your hormones. Don't try to argue, believe it or not I used to be eighteen and Fang is what you girls would consider a looker. So tonight if you suddenly feel like "getting it on" just use protection and your mother will most likely put you on the pill soon." We're at the gates now and he's talking loud enough for half the garden workers that are out late tonight can hear our conversation.

I hug my dad and say in his ear, "We aren't going to be doing anything, but I promise you we'll be safe, okay?" He nods as the gates creek open and I walk through them just as Fang looks up and gets out of his car to greet me. Tonight he decided to wear his best dark wash jeans, favorite black combat boots, dark blue t-shirt, and black leather jacket. His hair looked like he ran a comb through it and then messed it up again when he thought it didn't look right. I smile at him and self-consciously tug on the hem of my skirt.

"Hey, Beautiful," Fang says softly and smiles at me before turning to my dad and giving him a handshake even if they were in an odd way friends. "Sir, I wanted to let you know that I will be coming over Thursday for the game," he comments and Dad grins. Then he waves us off and, as soon as we're out of my neighborhood, Fang pulls over to the side of the road and looks at me. "You look amazing, Max, but you'd look amazing in anything so I'm not surprised," he comments and I laugh before pecking him on the lips.

I murmur against his warm lips, "Thank-you," and then pull away so he can pull back on the road and start driving again. "So what's the plan for tonight?"

"Well, if it's okay with you, I was going to take us to my neighborhood park for a picnic by the pond and then to my house for a movie marathon on TV. My folks went to visit my grandmother for the week, and I wanted to make sure you were comfortable with being alone in my house." He glances over at me, telling me it was my choice.

"Sounds perfect," I decide with a smile and Fang grins and keeps his eyes locked on the road with one hand resting on my bare knee. This was going to be one of the best nights of my life, I could tell because it was only Fang and I; I was with the boy I love for the night.

When Fang pulls up into the grass outside a dark, chilly park, we get out of his car and I watch him walk around to the trunk. He pulls out a picnic basket and I pull the red and black picnic blanket out from the backseat of his jeep along with a red and white blanket. His hand finds mine as we walk into the woods away from the play-set and towards the sparkling pond in the middle of the woods. No one has ever known there was a pond in the woods until Fang and I found it when we were kids and he wanted to go exploring. You can tell no one's found it yet because of the lack of trash, the rippling water of fish and the occasional duck, and just the serenity of it all.

"Amazing, as always," I say softly and Fang nods in agreement; he breaks off from my side to set up the food and whatever he brought. He lays out the blanket and I notice how strangely warm it's gotten; I slide off my jacket and sit down on the blanket.

Fang says right next to my ear, "I have a surprise for you," and then he kisses my neck once before pulling away. Suddenly there's a massive platter of chocolate chip cookies sitting on the blanket in front of me; I start to squeal. Even though I've never met Fang's mom before, I know she cooks the best cookies I have ever tasted in my entire life, and I've tried a lot of cookies.

"I love you!" I squeal and shove a cookie or two into my mouth; Fang's chuckling as I flop back on the blanket with my head in his lap. "You're amazing," I say quietly and he leans down to peck my lips before shoving me away and off of his lap. "And I don't mean just because you brought me cookies, but every other way too," I say with a smile, my head now on the blanket.

"Whatever, Cookie Monster," Fang teases.

"How's Total?" I ask, referring to the dog we bought together four months into our relationship; we decided he would stay with Fang since my mom was deathly allergic to them. The little Scottish Terrier was the cutest little dog you would ever see or meet along with the little t-shirts I bought him when we first picked him out from the pet shelter downtown.

Fang smiles, "He had some fun with the dog, Akila, next door last week. She is now pregnant and the neighbors claim they will all be mine," and I stare at him.

"When were you going to tell me this, Fang?! Now we have to take care of up to five other dogs!" I exclaim and he chuckles at my expression.

"Tonight," he answers with a shrug only Fang could pull off while laying down, "Did your mom see you leaving the house? Or did that Max-wanna-be see you?" he was talking so coldly of Maya that even I couldn't believe it; I watch him for a moment.

I lay my head on his chest and curve one leg around his own, "It's okay, Fang, she'll be gone in a few months and it'll be only us again." He hated Maya because she would always catch me sneaking out or him sneaking in and then she'd go snitch to Mom. This was when we were all younger and Fang was coming over while I was grounded or while he was banned from the house after one of his cleaver pranks he came up with.

"Max, that's a few months I can't sneak into your room without difficulties, and a few months I won't be able to see you as much as I usually do." He wraps and arm around my waist and pulls me tighter against him, "That's Hell on earth for me, Max," he murmurs.

I sigh, "It'll all be okay, I can just come to you through my balcony or whatever. I won't let her and her stupid on-off boyfriend get between us again," and he presses his lips against the top of my head. We sound like one of those lovey-dovey couples that are always in the honeymoon stage, but, like I said before, we aren't the perfect couple.

"How do you always know what to say?" he asks and rubs between my shoulder blades causing me to sigh contentedly.

"I don't, I just know you enough to know what you need to hear," I reply quietly and press my hand flat against his chest. His fingers were now drawing patterns on the exposed skin of my thighs; a shiver runs through me and Fang chuckles into my hair. "Don't do that," I scold mildly.

"And if I don't?" he asks challengingly; I grin into his t-shirt.

I prop up on my elbow so I'm hovering over him and place my finger lightly on his chest, "Or I'll start doing this." My finger starts to draw patterns and, thinking this would be relaxing, Fang closed his eyes and rests with his arms folded behind his head. Then I slowly move to drawing patterns while moving downwards towards his jeans; I could see Fang was fighting to stay in control until he grabs my hand from moving right onto the edge of his jeans.

"Don't, Max," he warns in a low voice and I laugh at his facial expression; he softens but then sits up and starts unpacking stuff from the basket. "Okay, okay, let's just eat," Fang says grudgingly and places covered dishes all over the blanket space between us.

We talk as we eat the pie, cookies, turkey gravy, mash potatoes, mac and cheese, and green beans Fang so kindly brought. The food is wiped out in a few minutes and we lay together on the blanket, our hands intertwined and our eyes to the sky. "Why won't you let me meet your parents?" I blurt out and slap my free hand over my mouth while Fang's eyes close and he breathes a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that," I say hurriedly while I sit up and take my hand from his to rub at my temples.

"I know you didn't," Fang says quietly, "but you were thinking it and that's fine," but his shut eyes and tight jaw tell another story. Trying to get him to relax, I lean down on my elbow so I'm propped up beside him and I trace his jaw with my finger. He slowly but surely relaxes at my touch and I kiss him lightly then I pull away and lay down on the blanket again. "You ready to go?" Fang asks, ignoring my earlier question with the slyness of a panther; a very hot panther, that is.

We leave the park to drive to a neighborhood a few blocks from my own and Fang pulls up in front of a regular house. The white walls, blue roof, clear windows, and fireplace chimney looked inviting while my house looked like it was going to eat you. No matter how long I knew Fang, I'd only been in his house a few times when I was hiding from my mom or Maya. Fang gets out of the car and I follow him up the stairs and into the house with a smile on my face and my hand in his. He unlocks the door and we walk into a dark house with only a lamp in the living room as our light source for the moment.

"I'll be right back," he says and then he lets go of my hand; I watch him disappear into the kitchen and I stride into the living room. For all of the times I was in this house, I was able to map out where each room was; they got rid of the house across from mine when they realized Fang's mom had a miscarriage and they'd no longer need room for a baby.

In the living room there was a five-person brown leather couch sitting across from the flat screen television hanging on the front wall. Then there is a plush loveseat on each side of the long couch and two recliners in the corners between the couches. A glass coffee table sat in the middle of it all and a black with white polka dot rug was underneath all of it. It was modern everyday living room, but at the moment it seemed homey and welcoming; I drop my jacket on one of the couches. I switch on the TV to the channel Fang said the marathon was on then sat down to take off my annoyed heeled boots.

I plop down on the longest couch just as the smell of fresh popcorn wafted into the living room to reach my nose. "FANG COME ON!" I whine and hear him drop something at the sudden sound; I laugh as he mutters curses into the air.

"Coming, Maxie!" he calls back suddenly and I glare daggers at the living room door, willing them to make him flinch or something. "Glaring at a door isn't going to do anything!" he yells suddenly and he snickers as I drop my glare to look at the TV. The first movie of the Star Wars series was coming on and I knew I would be here all night and a part of the morning. I reach into my skirt to pull out my cell phone and press the number two then the green button to call my dad.

"Dad, we're going to watch the Star Wars series, so I'll be here all night," I say into the phone and hear him suck in his breath like he always does when he was thinking.

He replies, "Alright, I'll cover for you, but I better not have a pregnant daughter in a couple of weeks," and he snickers.

"DAD!" I exclaim as my cheeks go red, "Don't talk like that! I'll be home by three tomorrow at the latest," I rub at my temple with my free hand before saying goodnight and hanging up my phone. Fang choses that time to walk into the living room with a large bowl and two glass bottles of root beer; he sits down next to me and puts everything on the coffee table.

"Do I want to know?" Fang asks with one perfect eyebrow raised; I smile and push some black hair from in front of his right eye.

"No, probably not," I answer and settle into his side as he wraps his arm over my shoulders and pulls me closer to him. The first movie starts and I watch intently during all the battle scenes and then lay my head on Fang's shoulder during all of the boring parts. All the while he rubs between my shoulder blades and sets the occasional kiss on my forehead or my lips.

When a romantic part comes on during one of the movies, I turn to Fang and kiss him; he eagerly kisses me back. Our lips move in sync and his arms move around my waist slowly; I push against his lips and angle my head to deepen the kiss. His tongue slips slyly into my mouth and requests battle, which I give into until he takes dominance but I'm too busy to care. The kiss is passionate and sweet but the greediness is evident in our touches and the way we hold our bodies together. When my hands start to climb up under his shirt, he doesn't stop me and instead picks me up so I can wrap my legs around his waist.

Fang says between kisses, "If we don't stop now, we won't be able to," and I kiss his lips again.

"I know," I whisper and he slams his lips back onto mine hard enough to send my head into a foggy abyss; he starts to walk slowly towards the hall. His bedroom was the first door on the left, and he pushes open the dark wood before using his heel to slam it shut behind him. Soon his shirt is discarded on the floor along with my own and he's laying me down on his incredibly soft bed.

He doesn't say anything as he removes my bra and I hold my breath as he takes the sight of me in then he whispers, "Amazing, like always," and kisses me again. Those pesky jeans of his were thrown across the room along with my stupid mini-skirt and I flip us so I'm lying on his chest.

When the last of our clothing is thrown to the other side of the room and Fang turns away from me for a second, I wonder if what I'm doing feels right. I'm almost eighteen and Fang is eighteen, yes, but I couldn't help but wonder how my dad could guess this would happen. Then those warm lips attack mine again and I knew this was going to come and I was ready for it all along. And then when it does happen, Fang whispers sweet nothings in my ear and brushes my hair behind my ear. Later on, Fang collapses down on the bed beside me and quietly hums a lullaby beside my ear while I struggle to keep my breathing even again.

"I love you," Fang whispers in my ear as I start to drift off; he pecks my lips in a soft goodnight kiss and I smile.

"I love you, too," I murmur then cuddle into his side to peacefully fall asleep wrapped in his arms with my bare body covered with the comforter thrown over his sheets.

Morning light shines through the blinds and attacks my eyes, which flutter open without any other choice unless I want to try and sleep with my eyes burning. I look down as I realize something is holding me in place against something warmer than just my blankets and pillows. An olive-toned arm is holding me in place and I noticed in shock that I was naked under some blankets as was the man sleeping beside me. Then last night's event coming rushing back at me and I smile as I realize what I did and how amazing I felt afterwards.

Without waking Fang, I throw off the covers on my body and remove Fang's arm before grabbing his t-shirt and pulling it on over my head. My clothes were everywhere and I wasn't about to go around looking for my bra and panties at the moment. I went into the kitchen and made some toast and eggs; I covered the extras and left them on the table after I was finished my own. Fang still wasn't awake, so I collapsed on the couch in the living room and turned on the early showings of Spongebob when a pair of lips pressed into the side of my neck.

###

_**OOOOOHHHHHHHH MAX AND FANG DID IT! NO ONE TELL IGGY! HAHA! Anyways, I don't own Spongebob! Here's a shout out to last updates winners so congrats to... no one... *SIGHS* It was Tucker and Dale vs. Evil... funniest movie of all time!**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Soooo sorry about the late update! I'm in school now in this stupid advanced program and today I was told I might have severe skin cancer so… yeah. But I'm getting A's so I decided to type up a chapter in my honor! Here you go.**_

"_**One time I just looked at a bra and it snapped off!"**_

_**HAHAHAHAHAHA! No name this time! I'm EVIL! Who can guess it this time? This is one of the funniest lines I have ever heard! **_

_**And congrats to: justcallmejoey, and MaxRideLuver02 for getting the quote from the last chapter!**_

_**Mkay so I no own Maximum Ride! And enjoy the chappie as always!**_

_**-BlackSkinnyJeans101**_

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_Five_

Nudge walked down the street staring up at the stars and wondering how Max and Fang were doing on their date. She couldn't help but notice the way the two acted at lunch earlier that day, but she knew better to question Max about it. Ever since Fang and Max got together, Max and Nudge would talk about everything together; Max would tell her when she felt it was necessary. At some point Nudge turns through two houses and her shoes dip into the sand of the beach; she reaches down to pull off her shoes. She started to walk along the beach instead of the street where anyone could jump her if they wanted.

It was late and Nudge was walking along the freezing beach, ignoring the feelings of stinging water lapping against her bare feet. This probably wasn't the best idea but they didn't have school tomorrow and instead it would be a snow day for once. Usually their principal was hard-headed and made sure all the students came to school early or you'd get after-school detention for two weeks, which was stupid even for a principal. Her head was spinning with thoughts of Iggy and Ella; she hated the idea of not being with Iggy for the rest of her life. No, she wasn't exaggerating and she was always closer to Iggy than Ella was and she gave him more attention than Ella does.

Ever since Iggy moved to town, Nudge kept her eye on him; she knew him longer than Ella did and she knows more about him than Ella does. Ella has her eyes on the other new kid in town, Josh, and Iggy at the same time, but that's just Ella being Ella. Nudge has only had eyes for Iggy and everyone in school knew about it except for the one person Nudge wanted to know about it. Her house was just down the beach but she knew Fang wouldn't be home yet, or if he was then he'd be with Max. That was the last place she wanted to go at the moment, knowing her brother Fang would give into Max and they'd be in his bedroom together. Nudge shudders at the thought.

Suddenly a voice rings out from a few feet behind her, "Nudge? Is that you?" and she turns to see Iggy standing in the moonlight. She almost swooned on the spot but instead she just looked down and blushed since he was shirtless on such a cold night. His strawberry-blonde hair glinted and it was mussed up; it was obvious he was asleep just a few minutes before. Her dark brown eyes locked with his icy blue ones and she stutters for words.

"Iggy," Nudge breathes and walks back to him, looking over his bare chest in what she hoped was an unnoticeable way. "What are you doing out so late?" she asks incredulously and he wraps his arms around himself as if trying to keep warm.

"I could ask you the same thing," he replies and reaches forward as if it was normal to brush some brown curls behind her ear. Nudge shivers at his touch; she had pulled her hair down earlier in the night when she got tired of her usual ponytail. Iggy hasn't seen Nudge with her hair down and loose around before, only in a tight bun or ponytail at school. "You're hair looks nice this way, it's cute," he says almost absent-mindedly and his fingers trail down the side of her face and over her jaw.

Nudge pulls away sharply, "Don't, Iggy, we can't," she tells him in a broken voice and she starts to walk away but he grabs onto her arm. The other night Fang told Iggy about the crushes Nudge and Ella had on him; he'd always loved Nudge but there was always a liking for Ella somewhere in all of his jumbled feelings.

"Wait," he says so softly Nudge wondered if he actually said it at all, "don't leave, Nudge. Fang and Max are probably doing something you don't want to walk in on. Why don't you come spend the night at my house?" for a moment she only stared at him while a blush coated his cheeks.

"Okay," Nudge says quietly and they walked quietly up to Iggy's house with Nudge's hand slipping into Iggy's along the way. They walk in silence and enter his dark house just as quietly even if his parents were out on another business trip. "Thanks, Iggy, for doing this," she says quietly and he gives her a heart-fluttering smile before leading her into the living room.

He says, "You know, I've liked you since fourth grade and you haven't made a move on me once while I'm shamelessly flirting with you." The way it comes out, she wonders if he was drunk or something because he said it so effortlessly, but she just blushes and looks down.

"Iggy," she doesn't get to continue, though, because Iggy cups her chin and lightly pecks her plush lips before pressing his forehead to hers.

"Don't make me beg," he teases; Nudge moved her arms around his neck and pulls him in for another kiss.

**MAX'S POV**

"Did you guys have fun last night?" Kate asks and holds a dress up to my body; she shakes her head and places it back on the rack. Her black hair was pulled into a tight ponytail and she was trying to find the 'perfect' dress for the date with Holden tonight. To be honest, I knew no one could find a perfect dress but I didn't want to rain on her happy little parade. While looking for her dress, she was also looking for one for me when the time to meet Fang's parents did come up. I doubted that'd be anytime soon after last night's conversation but I was still hoping.

"Yeah, it was nice having some quality time with my boyfriend," I answer and hold a purple ruffle skirt up against my waist. She shakes her head with a disapproving grunt and I place it with the other skirts on its rack; we move on to the jeans. Even though I'm usually a total tomboy, I can be the girly-type if I wanted to; take my outfit for today as an example.

I was forced to wear a maroon, black, and white skirt with a black bow going around the waist and resting on my hip area. My black top had baggy sleeves and it crossed on the back to show most of my tanned back; that was for Fang when I saw him later. On my head was a black fedora with a thin white band going around it and I had a maroon bag in my hand filled with my stuff. My furry black boots reached slightly past my knees, a red rose hung on a silver chain around my neck, a silver bangles-cuff was on my left wrist, and my feather maroon earrings had dangling gold chains on them.

Kate asks, "Well, did you guys do anything other than watch movies?" and I look over at her to roll my eyes at her suggestive tone. Even if Fang and I slept together that didn't mean I was about to admit it to one of the gossip-girls of our school.

No matter how many guys Kate made-out with, she was a total sweetheart when it came to friends and family and animals and children. But she was the third gossip queen of our school other than Nudge and Ella; Star was hardly a gossip princess let alone a queen. Star has her moments of spilling something, but it was never something that could hurt someone personally. This morning Fang kissed me goodbye in the cutest way possible with him tugging on my hand and trying to tempt me to stay and I was so close to giving in.

Right about then did I realize how much time Fang and I spent together and the little time we spent away from each other. Most of the magazines Ella owns tell about how a couple needs to spend time together but not so much. Those kinds of relationships end in heartbreak and the couple never speaking to each other again. That's the exact thing I wanted to prevent when I warned Fang that if we went out and it ended badly we still needed to be best friends. So I regretfully left him in the living room and my dad drove me back to the house to get changed and go to the mall with Kate.

At the moment I felt my stomach lurch every time I thought about the way Fang held me the night before, thinking he'd hurt me. But it was actually the best feeling I'd ever had, you know after you get past the pain part, of course. It wasn't "Fang and Max had sex", no it was "Fang and Max made love" no matter how cheesy that sounds. Even if it wasn't completely official because of the small boundary between us, it didn't mean I couldn't still swoon over it in my head. No one had ever touched me like that before or given me such pleasure before or… I'm going to stop now since this must be getting pretty awkward for you.

Kate came to my house a half minute after I entered my bedroom and she charged into my room just as I was stepping into the shower. While I took a shower, she attacked my dressers and closet with the strangest pounce I'd ever seen. Then she forced me to sit as she dried and straightened my unruly hair; she made me wear some mascara and a swipe of eyeliner on each eyelid. The outfit she picked out was one of the things I refused to wear for my mom, but Kate tweaked it a bit. She put new shoes with it and jewelry and a fedora until I finally gave in and changed into the outfit.

"No, but I did have a lot of fun," I smiled at her innocently and she hummed something before holding a pair of leather pants to my waist. They looked tighter than my skinny jeans and I got ready to protest but Kate quickly cut me off by shoving me into a dressing room.

She calls through the door, "They're stretchy! Try them on with these!" and a few things are thrown over the door and onto the floor. Sighing, I changed into the outfit and checked myself out in the mirror and found that the outfit wasn't so bad after all.

"Okay, fine," I call and change back then I walk with Kate to the cash register and we check out my new outfit and the dress she finally chose. "Food court?" I ask hopefully and Kate rolls her eyes but nods and we walk to the food court, talking and laughing. But in the back of my mind I wished Fang was at least somewhere close to me with his sturdy presence.

We were getting a lot of attention as we get our food then get a two people table in the middle of the food court. Guys stared and I knew Fang would glare back if he was here, but he isn't and I didn't feel like wasting a glare. Kate barely glanced at them as I bit into my Subway sandwich and casually glanced around the food court and other people. I wondered what Fang was doing and why Nudge and Iggy didn't return my calls earlier in the day; I shrugged it off and went back to talking with Kate.

####

A little white later Kate takes me back to my house and drops me off with a wave before she speeds off in her yellow bug-car. With a sigh, I run a hand through my hair and head inside realizing it was eight now and I was hoping to see Fang before I went to bed. Instead, I go inside and drop my bags in my bedroom before heading downstairs and into my house gym. I change into baggy basketball shorts and red tank-top and go over to one of the few treadmills against the back wall. I stick my ear-buds in my ears and crank them to full volume before switching on the treadmill and starting to run.

It was hours later when I forced myself to stop lifting weights and I walked up to my bedroom just as my phone starting to ring. I flipped it open and pressed it to my ear, "Hello?" I yawn and hear snickering coming from the other line.

"Maxikins," Fang taunts over the line, "you'll never guess where I found Nudge," he says.

"Where?" I ask and change into some pajamas then slip under my comforter with the phone pressed to my ear.

I could hear the smirk in his voice as he replies, "At Iggy's house with the two of them making out on his bed. They've would have gone a lot longer if I hadn't gotten there when I did," there's muffled yelling on his end of the line.

"Nudge, you finally gave in?" I ask loudly and you could hear Iggy laughing at Nudge while she was probably bright red at the moment. I run a hand through my hair and realize that sweat comes off from my forehead; I wrinkle my nose and go into my bathroom. "Fang, put Nudge on for a second, please," I say innocently into the phone.

Nudge comes on the other line a few seconds later after a muffled conversation. "Hey, Max! What's up? OMG why is Fang soooo happy? What happened on your date last night? Did you guys, like, do the dirty or something? Oh, you did! That's so sweet! Are you feeling okay? Did hurt you? If he did so help me I'll," Nudge rambles and then stops long enough for me to put in something hurriedly.

"Stop! Just tell me what's going on with you and Iggy!" I practically squeal into the phone; I'd always like Iggy and Nudge together.

I can hear Nudge's blush as she replies, "Nothing, I was just walking on the beach last night when Iggy showed up out of nowhere. Then he said some stuff about you guys doing things in Fang's room so he offered to let me spend the night. We kissed a little then went to sleep and I woke up to him kissing me and I kissed back then he put his hands under my shirt…"

"Get to the point!"

"Right so that's when Fang walked in and practically tackled Iggy off of me and the bed and said something in his ear. Iggy flushed and I thought he was going to die from the loss of color in his cheeks, so I started freaking out and yelling at Fang. He dragged me home and Iggy showed up later, asked Fang something that I couldn't hear, and now Fang's all happy for me. Right at this moment, though, they're in the back room speaking but they won't let me in… so what are you doing? What'd you do today?"

I let out a long breath and replied quietly, "Kate took me to the mall and bought me black leather pants for Fang's race Saturday."

There was a long pause before, "OMG! He's going to get such a hard bo-!"

"STOP!" I screech before she can continue and she starts laughing really hard into the phone. I roll my eyes and sit down on my couch to wait for her laughter to die down, "You were just thinking of your brother getting one a "b" and you're laughing about it. That's not something most people would laugh about," I retort and Nudge shuts up; I heard the snap of her jaw shutting.

"Oh, gross!" Nudge yells and I start to laugh, "Fang talk to your girlfriend! I have to go puke!" Nudge yells to someone in the background.

"Do I want to know?" Fang asks loudly over the other line while he listens to me laughing for a few minutes.

I finally stop laughing so hard and reply, "Probably not."

"Okay, Gorgeous, I'll take your word from it. So what'd you do all day? Were you purposely ignoring my calls and texts? Are you hiding from me or something?" his voice was flooded with worry and I know I scared him when I didn't call him back after the eighth time. Of course I wasn't ashamed or anything and hiding from him, I was just with Kate and she refused to let me out of her sight. I explained this to Fang and he mumbled his understanding, "I've missed you, Max," he says in a quiet, tired voice that sounds slightly strained for some reason.

A grin split across my face and then disappeared again when I murmured, "I wanted to see you today but Kate dragged me to the mall. She chose an outfit for me to wear to your race and I picked out the accessories and other things, but I want to see you now," and then I admit the one thing I was thinking all day, "I want you to spend the night with me right now." When I hear the phone line go dead, I groan and get up long enough to lock my bedroom door and swing open my balcony doors.

Only five minutes later rustling came from the tree right beside my balcony, Fang's shadow came next as he hopped down on my balcony. "Hey," I grin and wrap my arms around his neck to tug his face closer to mine; his arms weave around my waist.

"Hello, Love," he murmurs and presses his lips gently against mine; I pull away and take out his usual over-night bag from under my bed.

"Go change," I tell him and he disappears into my bathroom; I straighten my bed some and lay down on the left side, my side. Fang emerges from my bathroom shirtless like always and he hops onto his side, the right side, of my bed making me bounce with the mattress. "I love you," I whisper and press my lips back to his, kissing him with everything I could muster in my tired body.

He smiles, "I love you, too," then his perfect, soft lips downturn in a frown, "How are you feeling? Pain?" he asks quietly. For a second I settle into him while his fingers make circles between my shoulder blades and his other hand runs up and down my side.

"No pain, Fang, I promise," I reply when his eyes contort in worry; his body relaxes into mine and I turn on my side so he can pull me back into his chest. I curl into the crook of his arm with my head on his bare chest and I make patterns on his perfect abs. "How can someone be so hot?" I mutter bitterly and Fang's chest moves as he chuckles under his breath. He only muffles it because Maya has hearing like a hawk and she's in the room across from mine.

We stay up and talk with kisses here and there and one heavy make-out session until I cut it off and whine that we need to sleep. I switch off my bedside table lamp and bury us under my comforter with his protective arms curled around me tightly. Protectively. Lovingly. Perfectly.

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_**A/N: PLEASE READ! VERY IMPORTANT! I love you guys, I do! But can I get some more reviews? I would really appreciate it and everything... oh and if you didn't read the author's note at the top, can you? It isn't that long... mkay well peace out!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: I'm sorry! I REALLY AM! But my laptop was taken away when I failed this assignment and I just got it back! Here's the chapter and I hope you guys aren't too mad at me. I really am trying to update more often. Here's the quote:**_

_**"Is this the Krusty Krab?"**_

_**"NO! THIS IS PATRICK!"**_

_**That one is really easy but my little bro wanted me to put it on here so... yeah.**_

_**Congrats to: some random Guest that gave me a description as well!**_

_**Enjoy! -BlackSkinnyJeans101**_

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_Six_

***TIME SKIP TO A HALF HOUR BEFORE FANG'S RACE***

Nudge plops face-down on my bed, "Iggy still won't make another move," she groans into my pillows and we all snicker. Ella had stepped out of the room an hour ago and she called us a minute after she left to tell us she wasn't going to make it to the race today.

"I'm sure he's just waiting for the right time," I pat Nudge's shoulder while she only groans louder and pulls a pillow over her head. All of the girls were currently over at my house so we can get ready for the race that starts in an hour but we have to get their early to help set up for the after-party.

Angel replies, "Or Fang scared him and he's waiting for Nudge to make the first move now," she shrugs while we think this over.

"That's probably the case," Kate agrees and pushes me down on a chair so she can start designing my hair like always. "I think he's gotten protective now that he and Max are closer," she wiggles her eyebrows suggestively in the mirror.

I laugh, "You guys are such perverts! We haven't done the dirty yet," I lie and elbow Kate in the gut behind me. She figured it out by herself yesterday when I kept anxiously avoiding her eye contact; I gave in and explained to her what I could. Now she keeps giving me looks and opportunities to tell the rest of the girls, but I keep shying away and refusing to tell.

"But you still love us!" they chorus together and we all laugh like we used to do in fifth grade before we all started to date. Sure, we've had our ups and downs but we always stuck together during the most difficult situations and choices. We'll always be there for each other, it's in our little pact.

"Now get changed!" Star demands and pushes me into my bathroom after the girls finally finished my hair and makeup. They curled my hair so it framed my face perfectly and this took about a half hour while the girls are completely ready. I was in the usual small amount of eyeliner, mascara, and some smoky eyeshadow; all I needed was to get dressed.

The girls picked out all of my jewelry since Kate and I already decided on my outfit at the mall a few days ago while looking for Kate's dress. I wore the leather pants of course and a black completely sleeveless, strapless top with dark blue stripes going down with a flowy bottom. Nudge guilted me into wearing knee-high black boots with about a three or four inch skinny heel. My black leather jacket covered my bare arms and shoulders but we left it unzipped to show off my top. I had on a dark blue beanie, blue-black Aviator sunglasses, and I picked out a dark blue bag for the crook of my elbow. The only pieces of jewelry I had on was my lucky Yin-Yang necklace and some silver hoop earrings.

I leave my bathroom and obediently spin around for the girls to approve; they clap and make comments before grabbing their bags. "Come on," I tell the girls as I read Fang's text, "the guys are waiting at his pit stop," I say and we all leave my bedroom.

We all scurry out of my house before my mom sees me and we get into the huge black SUV my dad let me borrow. "So, I'm supposed to meet Holden's parents in a few weeks," Kate starts the conversation as I get into the driver's seat. They all squeeze into the SUV and buckle up; I start pulling out of my driveway to start for the racetrack.

"That's so exciting!" Angel grins; I bite down on my bottom lip and press harder on the gas, wanting to see Fang again. Holden and Kate are officially a couple after four dates when Holden finally asked her to be his girlfriend; Fang and I had seven dates before he asked me, but we were alway hesitant while Kate likes to jump into new things.

JJ, seeing my uncomfortable nature, decides to change the subject, "So, Star, do you still believe chocolate ice-cream is better than vanilla?" She replies with a simple 'duh' and we all go into a deep argument of which type of ice-cream is better than all of them.

When we arrive at the racetrack, we all step out of my SUV and eyes turn on us to stare while we grab our stuff and start for the gates. Getting uncomfortable and showing the other teams that we have some vulnerability is not an option for any of us. Competition of ours watches, most of the guys wolf-whistle at our appearances; the girls decided to wear matching mini-skirts. You see, the girls like to match at these kinds of things to see who gets the most winks when they're wearing the same thing. It's a friendly competition of course; I roll my eyes and step up to the usual ticket-taker at the front gate, Berny.

"Maxamillion! Look at you!" the older bodyguard grins and pulls me into a short hug then proceeds to do the same with the other girls. His dark blonde-graying hair is swept back with gel, his chocolate brown eyes sparkle with amusement, and he's as burly and huge as ever. He was the one that got Fang out of his flaming racecar when he flipped, and he was the one that got him to the hospital in time.

I laugh, "Hey Berny, what's new?" we listen to him explain about how his wife is finally pregnant and how he's gotten another job. He let's up through the gates soon after we start talking and he waves as we start towards the pit stop houses. We weaved our way behind other pit stops until we started to approach Fang's; Dylan just happened to be waiting for us. The first thing to come out of that hideous mouth of his was a low, sultry wolf whistle and he winked at us.

Back in freshman year Dylan was our friend until he joined the football team and became another jerk that we had to deal with. He claims that he's loved me like it's just programmed into him and I continuously tell him to back off, but it never works. Fang's dealt with him, Ratchet's dealt with him, Iggy's dealt with him, Gazzy has beat him to a pulp, Ari has gotten him good, and Sam has gotten him; it's just a matter of time before Holden attacks him. Of course then Maya started to date him and she turned into the little bitch she is today, so I've lost two of my old friends. When I look over Dylan's shoulder I'm not surprised to find Maya coming towards Dylan; she's wearing a mini-skirt from Ella's closet again and a seriously low-cut top that would suit Dylan's eyes.

"Maxie, look at those curves!" he shouts as we approach; I slap him across the face and his head whips to the left. Before I can say anything he starts again, "And Katie, look at those breasts," he openly stared at her chest and I resist the urge to slap him again. Kate likes to face her own battles, slapping him for her would only get her angry at me; she slaps him against the other cheek.

Ari slams open the door to Fang's pit stop building and he glares daggers at Dylan, "Don't you have your slut to get back to?" he snaps. Angel grins and gives him a small smile he returns it briefly then watches Dylan as he goes to meet Maya halfway. They start making out and I wrinkle my nose in disgust; I push past Ari and walk into the pit stop building.

"Look who's finally here!" Sam exclaims dramatically when we all finally file into the small pit stop building and set down our stuff. He joined our group the same time JJ did; JJ's liked him a lot ever since but she claims it's nothing more than a friendship.

"Oh shush up, you want to try and get all of these girls ready?" Nudge raises her eyebrows at him and he shakes his head quickly.

"No way, sorry!" he squeaks and we all laugh; I fix my beanie and walk through the door that leads to the preparation area for the racecar. There was Fang, under the racecar checking something out on one of those rolling platforms while the car is on another metal platform above him.

Thinking it over, I put on the voice of his ex-girlfriend and I squeak out, "Fangy! I'm back!" in a very close replication. Fang jerks and I hear the clang of his head hitting the bottom of the car; he quickly pushes out from under it and stares up in horror. When he sees it's just me his expression softens for a second then he starts to glare at me and he rubs at his forehead, while he grumbles to himself. "Oh, my God! Are you okay?" I drop down on my knees and check out his reddening forehead while he glares at me and my imitation.

"I'm fine, but that wasn't funny," he says while I start to laugh and stand up again; I grab his hand and pull him up as well. "What are you wearing?" he asks, running his fingers from my shoulders to my hips and then to my thighs as he feels the leather.

"Pure leather," I reply, smiling when his eyes find mine again and he moves his hands up to cup my face in his palms. His onyx eyes were sparkling deviously and he was very obviously studying every little part of me with his chest moving heavily against mine.

He presses his lips against mine, pressing me back against the car and holding his hands on either side of me, trapping me. I feel his thumbs dipping past the waistband of my pants and I wrap my arms around his neck and hop onto the hood of the car. His arms wrap around my waist and I angle my head to deepen to the kiss; I take his bottom lip between my teeth. We were so close to a full out french kiss until someone had to clear their throat and ruin it; Fang pulled back and rested his forehead against mine. There was Gazzy with the rest of the guys standing behind him, already in their pit stop uniforms.

"Mrs. Ride, if you wouldn't mind giving your husband some space so he can race and prove to Dylan he's awesome," Ari teases. I narrow my eyes at the snickering guys while Fang chuckles and picks me up to set me back down on the hard ground.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" the announcer calls over the stadium and the crown goes wild, "LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!"

* * *

_**A/N: Yeah I know it's pretty short but I'm trying to get into the feel of writing again. Don't worry, the next chapter will be longer, I promise.**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**AN: I'm so shocked at how many people actually stuck with me during this. I'm loving the reviews and I can't wait until I announce my special news. Anyways here's the lovely quote and I hope you guys like the chapter:**_

_**Oh! and this is going to be a song quote so good luck:**_

_**"I know I can't take one more step towards you**_

_**'Cause all that's waiting is regret,**_

_**And don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore**_

_**You lost the love I loved the most."**_

_**Congrats to: justcallmejoey (yes, I do know it's stupid :P thankx captain obvious)**_

_**and Heart Breaking 101**_

_**ENJOY! -BlackSkinnyJeans101**_

_Seven_

"I'll see you after, okay?" Fang promises and kisses my forehead just as I'm being pulled from the pitstop house and to all of the screens that show the race. Nudge nudged me and laughed when I gave her a hard look; I roll my eyes and turn my attention to the screens.

The announcer dude goes through the regular routine and then the gun is shot and all of the cars take off. My eyes are kept solely on Fang as he does his skills and passes seven cars when we just started. Star was just as worried as me, she hated these kinds of things after Fang's accident and she kept squeezing my hand in reassurance. It didn't help much, what did help was hearing Fang mutter into his headset to me while he was driving so I knew he was feeling okay about this. That didn't help the fact that I could tell Dylan was going after Fang and was following almost all of his moves.

"Come on, he'll be fine, cheer up," Kate tries to console me but I'm clutching my necklace and watching the screens closely. The girls and I weren't much help when it came to racing but I listened in on Ari giving Fang directions every once in awhile.

For hours I sat in that room and at times I'd leave to meet Fang as he pulled into the pits for something. He would lightly kiss my lips, telling me he was fine, before pulling out of stop again to jump right back into the race. I would always return to the room and finally he zipped past the finish line in just barely first place. The announcers had to do four reruns of the tape where Fang and Dylan almost ties until Fang switched gears and lurched ahead. He did a victory lap, doing strange and impressive tricks before pulling into the middle of the grass.

"Fang Ride is once again our champion!" the crowd went wild when Fang pulled me to him and kissed me. I smiled and pulled away to smirk at the cameras just like I always do; these intense school games were always put on the town news. Our town was really small so this was a huge deal around here; the smaller schools don't compete. Fang always wins, but they still like to see the full race from their homes or the winning moment during the news.

After the game we head to the after party where almost everyone from our school seems to show up. They congratulate Fang and he kisses the top of my head before I break off from his side and head for the girls on the other side of the room. Strobe lights made my headache, the flashing dance floor was crowded, and the music was blasting. It had a huge banner and everything plus the spiked punch; Maya was busy with Dylan in a bedroom. We were in some popular cheerleader's house and she was currently taking turns making out with four different football jocks.

"You decided to join us," Nudge smiles and pulls me into the half circle that was trapping some girl I'd never seen before. "This is Lisa, she's new," Nudge explains and Lisa flashes me a bright smile. Her bright red hair made me narrow my eyes, the color reminded me of Fang's ex-girlfriend and her grass green eyes didn't help much. She was the spitting image of a supermodel and yet she ended up in our small town in the middle of nowhere.

"Hi," Lisa shakes my hand and discretely looks my over; something flashes in her eyes.

"Um, hey, I'm Max," I say slowly and she laughs shrilly like that was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. I took in her green cocktail dress, seriously tall black heels, and the heavy makeup coating her face.

She says, "Silly I've listened around, I know who you are!" she actually has the nerve to push my shoulder like we've been best friends forever. I stare at the place her hand touched and her bright smile faded ever-so-slightly, "So, you're Nick's girlfriend?"

I almost choke on the beer I was busy taking sips of, "It's Fang," I say immediately on impulse and that same look flashed in her eyes again. The other girls had moved farther away, knowing I'd want to check Lisa over before we let her into our group.

"Well, I'd love to meet him sometime, you guys all seem really nice," she says innocently and I can't help but snort into my drink. She frowns, "What?"

"Please, if my friends weren't watching us then I'd be snapping questions at you. I'd be using so many sarcastic remarks that you would probably fall over from the stress of it all." I say seriously and she stares at me for a few seconds then she starts to laugh.

"You're funny!" she exclaims brightly and reaches out to playfully shove my shoulder again. I move so her hand misses me; her smile once again wavers.

A hand is on my arm before I can lurch out and drag her to the floor for having the nerve to touch me. Okay so maybe I was totally over-reacting but I could tell she wanted Fang already and I hated girls that still try to flirt when he's taken. "Woah, hey, Maxie," Ari says and wraps his arm all the way around my shoulders as he takes in the sight of Lisa.

"Hi! I'm Lisa!" Lisa exclaims and pumps Ari's hand up and down rather enthusiastically; I raise an eyebrow. Ari was staring at Lisa, beyond confused and I could tell he was looking for Angel when he ran into me instead.

"And I'm out of here, if you see Iggy do me a favor and tell him I'm looking for him," I say to Ari and then I leave. I walk around the booming house, trying to find a room that wasn't occupied with couples fumbling with clothes in their drunken states. In the end I just sit down at the dining room table to play some Beer Pong; I've played a few times before and I'm pretty much a pro at it if I do say myself.

"Blondie, you're up," a dude slides me a ping-pong ball and I lazily bounce it on the table so it lands smack dab in a cut in the center. I have Maya drink then I bounce again where it lands in so I have some red-haired dude drink. This continues until I finally miss and I chug down a cup then pass on the ball; the guys decided they wanted to have fun with me.

By my next turn I'd had seven cups and I shot the ball across the table and into the cup twice before missing thanks to my blurred vision. I drank and the game continued until I finally excused myself and stumbled out to the booming living room. Everyone seemed to shimmer and I pushed past the dancers to grab a microphone from the karaoke set at the front. The DJ saw me and asked what song I wanted, I slurred one in reply and he grins then puts on the song with me bobbing my head to the beat causing my vision to blur more. I start singing. _**{Price Tag by: Jessie J}**_

_Okay, Coconut Man, Moon Heads, and Pea_

_You ready?!_

_Seems like everybody's got a price_

_I wonder how they sleep at night_

I hop up onto the couch still in my heeled boots as my classmates turn to look at me curiously and they all looked shocked. Fang must have heard the commotion because he walked through the backdoor and watched as I continued to sing.

_When the sale comes first and the truth comes second_

_Just stop for a minute and smile_

_Why is everybody so serious?_

I looked around the room as if asking my classmates; they just shrugged their shoulders and started to file back onto the dance floor.

_Acting so damn mysterious_

_You got your shades on your eyes and your heels so high_

My eyes locked on Lisa and I smirked; she seemed to snarl at me for a second before morphing her mouth back into a forced smile.

_That you can't even have a good time_

_Everybody look to their left_

As if on cue I looked to the left and so did everyone else. We did the same thing except to the right when the right part came on.

_Everybody look to their right_

_Can you feel that?_

_Yeah_

_We'll pay them with love tonight_

_It's not about the money, money, money_

_We don't need your money, money, money_

_We just wanna make the world dance_

_Forget about the price tag_

_Ain't about the cha-ching, cha-ching_

_Ain't about the ba-bling, ba-bling_

_Wanna make the world dance_

_Forget about the price tag_

At this point I was walking around with the microphone and practically grinding against Fang when I got to him. I smirked and flounced back towards the head of the room, shaking my hips and whipping my hair side to side.

_We need to take it back in time_

_When music made us all unite_

_And it wasn't low blows and video hoes_

_Am I the only one gettin' tired?_

_Why is everybody so obsessed?_

_Money can't buy us happiness_

_Can we all slow down and enjoy right now?_

_Guarantee we be feelin' alright_

_Everybody look to their left_

_Everybody look to their right_

_Can you feel that?_

_Yeah_

_We'll pay them with love tonight_

_It's not about the money, money, money_

_We don't need your money, money, money_

_We just wanna make the world dance_

_Forget about the price tag_

_Ain't about the cha-ching, cha-ching_

_Ain't about the ba-bling, ba-bling_

_Wanna make the world dance_

_Forget about the price tag_

I wasn't surprised when Iggy started to rap and he danced along with me; I laughed during his rap and danced stupidly. I'm am the awesomest drunk person ever.

_Yeah, yeah, well, keep the price tag and take the cash back_

_Just give me six strings and a half stack_

_And you can keep the cars, leave me the garage_

_And all I, yes, all I need are keys and guitars_

_And guess what, in 30 seconds I'm leaving to Mars_

_Yes, we leaving across these undefeatable odds_

_It's like this man, you can't put a price on life_

_We do this for the love, so we fight and sacrifice everynight_

_So we aint gon' stumble and fall, never_

_Waiting to see, a sign of defeat, uh uh_

_So we gon' keep everyone moving their feet_

_So bring back the beat and then everybody sing, it's not about_

_It's not about the money, money, money_

_We don't need your money, money, money_

_We just wanna make the world dance_

_Forget about the price tag_

_Ain't about the cha-ching, cha-ching_

_Ain't about the ba-bling, ba-bling_

_Wanna make the world dance_

_Forget about the price tag_

_It's not about the money, money, money_

_We don't need your money, money, money_

_We just wanna make the world dance_

_Forget about the price tag_

_Ain't about the cha-ching, cha-ching_

_Ain't about the ba-bling, ba-bling_

_Wanna make the world dance_

_Forget about the price tag_

_Yeah, yeah_

_Oh, forget about the price tag_

When I finished I bowed to my cheering and slapped Iggy on the back like a friend would; he grunted and sauntered off. Without any warning I was thrown over a sturdy shoulder and the person that was holding me started outside. The smell of Fang filled my nostrils until I went limp and fell into the darkness that finally managed to drag me under.

***ThisIsALineBreakThatSpeaksSp anish... "Adios Amigos"***

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the smell that engulfed me, threatening to drag me back down into the wonderful world of sleeping. Then I noticed the fact that my head was pounding and every little movement made it pound faster for a little while before finally coming back down to its erratic rate. And finally I noticed the hands on my back there were gently rubbing circles into my back; the expert fingers maneuvering magically yet softly over my tensed muscles. I sighed in content, knowing it would be Fang since I was so used to these fingers rubbing knots from my back. He hands me an ice-cold glass of water with some hangover pills that I took quickly and thankfully.

"Morning," he says quietly into my hair and I mumble something in response, he chuckles and I wince. Then he slides out of the bed and I hear him move across the room, "You have maybe an hour to get ready. See you at school," then he's gone and I groan into my pillow.

There's a loud banging at my door, and I only yell something in response so the footsteps pad away down the hall. I clamber out of my bed and stumble to my bathroom to switch on my shower and get into some warm water. My fingers touched my navel and I wondered if maybe I could convince my dad to let me get it pierced this weekend. Apparently I slept all through Sunday and Fang was rarely by my side; at least that's what my dad told me through my door. I got out of my warm shower and walked out to my bedroom to search for something to wear.

I settled on slipping into some black skinny jeans and a tight black t-shirt with a penguin on the front with a little red bowtie. My red high-tops were today's select shoes and I grabbed one of my black leather cross-body bags. For today I decided to leave my hair in it's naturally curly state and I put on my gray stuff beret. I put in some hoop earrings with black bow ties on them and I clipped a silver chain around my neck that held a silver penguin pendant. I slipped on four rubber bracelets with two black: Green Day and The Wanted, and two red: Bite Me and BACON=LOVE.

When I arrived at school I realized it was freezing and I was stupid enough to forget my jacket at my house. "Cute outfit," Star comments as she slips into step with me; she'd been more relaxed after the race.

"Go ahead, let it out," I grumble and she starts to laugh, curled over at the waist and I patiently wait for her to finish.

"YOU SANG!" she gasps out and I roll my eyes; glancing around at the staring students that stopped to watch. "And you were good!" she adds after a minute. Lisa, I noticed, was passing everyone like she was the new queen bee of the school and two of the sluttiest girls in school were following her. People glanced at her but they were too absorbed in watching two of the most-known girls in school create a scene.

While she continues to laugh I turned on my heel and left her in the middle of the hallway until Ratchet would find her later. Shivering, I went to my first class and sat next to Nudge feeling as if my fingers were about to fall off. "Woah, you're freezing," Nudge comments and I give her my 'no duh' face while wrapping my arms around myself.

"Here," Fang murmurs in my ear and warmth comes to me as he slips his black leather jacket on my shoulders. I stick my arms through the sleeves and tilt my head up to peck his lips; he smiled against my lips. "Try not to freeze, I still need you to make me look good when I get into trouble," he says and I laugh then push him away playfully.

He sits back down next to Iggy and I pass notes to Nudge throughout the class period.

**So, have you ever thought about starting a band?- Nudge**

_Nope and I'm not going to think about it. -Max_

**But you have an amazing voice. You shouldn't waste it.**

_Whatever. Do you want to come with me this weekend?_

**To do what?**

_I'm going to get my belly-button pierced. I was thinking a belly bar._

**OMG! That'll be sooo cute!**

_You should get one too. I'm going to see if I need papers or something to get a tattoo._

**You can't get a tattoo.**

_How come?_

**You can't get a tattoo... without me.**

_Haha okay, we'll see. So how's the Iggy situation going?_

**_Ugh, don't even get me started... he won't make a move and it's annoying me._**

_We told you to make the first move!_

**Well what am I supposed to do?... oh man I'm going to Max Martinez for guy advice... the apocalypse is NIGH!**

_Shut-up. Anyways Fang always likes it when I corner him in an empty hallway or in the janitor's closet at an unsuspecting time._

**I can't believe you do that with my older brother!**

_Try and see, Nudge, I bet you twenty bucks he reacts positively._

**Deal.**


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N: Warning, things are about to get seriously dramatic and I'm still working all of this out so don't judge cause all of it has some significance. NINE REVIEWS! I look in the thing to see who got the verse and I see I have NINE REVIEWS! I love you people! AS IN I LLLLOOOOOOOVVVVVVEEEEEEE YOU!_**

**_So I'm supposed to be working on my Science Research Paper thing but I'm doing this instead because I LOVE YOU PEOPLE..._**

**_I'm sorry I probably sound like a stalker... anyways here's a song quote and if any of you have a quote you want me to use then Private Message it to me! Okay? Mkay, here we goooooooooooooo!_**

**_"She's got a body like an hourglass it's ticking like a clock,_**

**_and it's just a matter of time before we all run out,_**

**_when I thought he was mine she caught him by the mouth!_**

**_I waited eight long months she finally set him free,_**

**_I told him I couldn't lie he was the only one for me..."_**

**_Congrats to: justcallmejoey (you know everything -_- lol), and Heart Breaking 101,_**

**_Okay and here's your chapter! I hope this is long enough... -BlackSkinnyJeans101_**

_Eight_

Another yawn slipped through my lips while I sat in my class before lunch, social studies, and I think about the discussion I had with Iggy in the period before. Every time I brought up the subject of Nudge he seemed to quiet down and busy himself with something else. I knew something was up when I found Ella was a lot happier than she usually is when lunch finally rolled around. Yet, that's jumping ahead so I'm still sitting in my social studies class with my face buried in the crook of my arm. Someone pokes me in the side, undoubtedly Ari or Sam, warning me that our teacher was coming closer.

Irritated at the interruption of my nap time, I shove the person's finger away from my side and I go back to napping. "Miss Ride," our teacher snaps and I look up with a smirk as she realizes her mistake, "I mean Miss Martinez!" Some of the class snickered while others pulled out their cell-phone to start some new rumor, mostly about Fang and I being married or some other stupid thing like that.

"Can I help you?" I raise an eyebrow and sit back in my seat, pulling Fang's jacket tighter around me. Her face was bright red, almost as red as her hair I noticed with a smirk, and I took notice how her knuckles looked ghastly when they clutched the yardstick in her hand.

She ground out, "You have detention for falling asleep in my class," then she spins on her heels and stomps back to the front of the classroom. After a second I just fold my arms on my desk and go back to my sleeping area; the redhead wasn't getting to me now.

"Yes," Ari remarks sarcastically from the seat behind me, "because Max is actually going to go to detention. In fact, she'll be early and stay afterwards to pound the erasers together or something else like that!" Sam chuckles in agreement and I flick both of them off, not caring if what's-her-face sees me.

When the bell finally rang I left my classroom just to find Fang wasn't in his usual place across the hall. I frowned and started walking down the hallway, trying to decipher where he would be at the moment. We should already be walking together to lunch; my frown deepened as I continued to walk. As I was looking away I suddenly slammed into someone; this someone screeched and fell back on her ass. I reached down without looking at the person while I tried to spot Fang somewhere; maybe he was waiting for me at my locker instead so we can be alone for a little while.

"Thanks, it's been so long," a girls' voice said and I looked down as someone gripped my hand and hauled herself to her feet. First I took in her black strappy heels that she seemed perfectly capable or walking, even running in. Then her dark, blood red pencil skirt that reached an inch or two above her knees, and then her black Paramore t-shirt. Finally I noticed her blonde hair and perfect, shining hazel eyes that seemed so freaking genuine.

The name escaped my lips before I could stop it, "Brigid," and the girl looked closer at me for a moment. This couldn't be happening, first Lisa and now Brigid and just when my life was beginning to get less complicated. I hadn't even remembered Lisa was Fang's former girlfriend until science this morning and when I did I felt like my brain was going to explode.

"Max, Max Martinez? It is you! Oh, my gosh! This is awesome! I didn't think I'd run into any of my old friends! How have you been, Max?" she asked as if we had been friends when she was with Fang. I shuddered at the thought of ever being a friend of this used-to-be-slut, but maybe she got a little better.

I reply cautiously as if she was waiting for me to screw up so she could throw herself back on Fang, "I'm fine. And you?" She began to ramble but I was too busy staring over her shoulder as Fang started walking towards me. I tried to discretely tell him to turn around but it was too late and Brigid creased her eyebrows at me.

"Who are you gesturing at?" she asked and turned before I could do anything to stop this from happening. It seemed to go in slow motion after that with Brigid dropping all of her stuff and squealing, "FANGY!" Then she ran and jumped on Fang, he wrapped his arms around her to make sure she didn't fall.

I felt myself heating up with her touching him and saying things in his ear that I couldn't make out from so far away. After a second I decided I wasn't going to be a jealous girlfriend anymore, Fang can have any friends he wants. Instead I turned and walked to the lunchroom on my own while casting glances over my shoulder. You see, Brigid was the first serious girlfriend Fang had and it killed me everyday watching them together and it still hurts watching her just run and jump on him as if they were still together. Back then I didn't know completely of my feelings for Fang, but later as I'm dating him I realize how much it hurt and I knew it too yet I was sending all of those feelings to the pit of my stomach to ignore.

When I get to the cafeteria I sit at the usual table and I wasn't surprised to find Nudge glancing at Iggy. Iggy was glancing between Ella and Nudge, and Ella was openly staring longingly at Iggy while she ran her hand up and down his arm. My glare pierced her gaze and Ella dropped her hand; she gave me her own dirty look and turned to eat her lunch. We were silent as Brigid's laugh was heard throughout the cafeteria and I knew Fang must have still been with her. I winced when I heard the click-clack of her heels getting so close to our table before she sat down next to me.

Fang sat down on her other side without a second thought when there was plenty of room on my other side. No, Max, you can't be one of those girls that gets jealous over their boyfriends for such petty things. It was awkward to say the least and I did my best to stay in the conversation but Brigid always spoke over me in her loud, assertive tone. In the end I dumped my trash early and left the cafeteria before anyone could question me. You're probably all shocked I was just going to walk away like that when some girl was trying to flirt with Fang.

The thing is I trust Fang, ex-girlfriend or just a friend, it doesn't matter because I know he's loyal. Who cares if Brigid got to meet his parents and I'm still waiting for the invitation? Oh, yes you read that right if you read that Brigid was invited to a formal dinner with Fang's parents shortly after the two got together. The blonde-haired wonder had met the parents of a guy she dated for nine months and I've been with Fang for a while now, yet he still holds out on me. This is one of those times I feel like slamming my head into a wall a couple of times.

I knew if I went to the usual janitors closet that Fang would find me so instead I walked to the very back of the school. Back here were the forbidden stairs that some kid tripped and fell on so no one came back here. Instead of venturing up the stairs, I search around until I found the secret door Iggy was telling me about. I didn't believe him at the time, but now I found it for myself and I pulled open the door feeling adventurous. Even after Iggy's warning story I couldn't help it if my curiosity got the best of me at these types of times.

_*****Three Days Before School Started Back***{This is going to come in some time later during the story, so read it through}**_*

_"You haven't done any of the assigned work?" I ask incredulously; Iggy was armpit high in textbooks and novels. He shook his head and hair fell in front of his eyes; he was chewing lightly on the end of his pencil. "Iggy, I'm bored, tell me one of your stories," I whine just a few seconds later while throwing myself face-down on his bed. Fang was currently in Paris with his parents for the next two days and then he'd finally come back; we hadn't seen each other for five days and I felt sick to my stomach._

_Iggy slammed his textbook shut and glared at me, "Fine but get comfortable and save all questions and comments until the end." He warns me with narrowed eyes and I now, pulling a pillow to my chest and holding it there with my arms wrapped around it. For once Iggy looked dead serious as he pulled a notebook out from under everything and scanned it over. He seemed to point to one and a smirk lit up his boyish features, " About fifty years ago the school was just being built._

_"A fourteen year old girl was wandering around the neighborhood when she came across the men and the half-finished building. She thought for a moment about if her parents would mind if she took a look around. Then she slipped past all of the workers and ducked into the building, laughing behind the men's backs. She walked down the dimly lit hallways until she got to the very back of the school. There, right in the back was a set of stairs leading to what would soon be the second floor of the school._

_"She got curious and went up and down the stairs a few times just to find nothing significant about them. So instead she started walking along the bottom of the stairs until she decided she would want a special place to call her own. The girl went home just to come back the next day at the exact same time with tools of her own. She got to work like her father had taught her and soon she had a huge gaping hole in the bottom of the stairs. That's when she stole from the workers for things to make a door and by the time she was done the worker's had noticed her stealing their supplies._

_"You had to remember these were men being paid very little and they had to pay for the supplies on their own. So this girl stealing their supplies was like stealing their money so they decided to all come up with a punishment. They took advantage of the girl in the most horrible ways, each one taking a turn in an unfinished classroom. By the eighth man, these were grown men so they were, uh, fully-developed, the girl had fainted from so much pressure and pain. Now these men knew the girl would easily tell anyone and they could do tests to see if her story was true so the last men had their turns and then they had to come up with something._

_"They threw her still-breathing body into her own little room and they made sure it was permanently locked, outside and inside. They put plaster and such over it even with the girls pleads and cries for help, as she turned out to be pregnant. So she died, baby and all in that small room after months without water or food; it was terrible she lasted that long. Legend says the girl's baby is haunting that very room and the stairs, wreaking havoc on anyone that dared walk on the stairs or past the stairs for that matter."_

_By the time Iggy finished speaking I was trembling, even if I didn't believe the story it was a bad thing to think about. I left his house shortly after that and I never went anywhere near that backroom, even if I didn't believe the story. Because, you know, ghosts aren't real..._

_*****BACK TO THE PRESENT TIME*****_

I shuddered slightly when a cold wind blew out of the small room and hit my face lightly; I bit down on my bottom lip. It wasn't true, I reminded myself as I studied the curiously loose door on its rusty hinges. Maybe time had finally gotten to it, I thought bitterly and pulled my cell phone from my back pocket. My flashlight app clicked on and I used the light to scan the room rather slowly like something was going to pop out at any moment. That was when I felt it, a hard shove was on my back and my phone fell from my hands into the room as did my body.

At first I couldn't tell I was falling until my left shoulder crashed into the ground and a dusty haze engulfed me. Then I was scrambling to get onto my feet and my hands searched in the dust and dirt for my hand to close around my cell phone. I turning my app on again and used to to scan the dank room for an exit; something was obviously wrong. A few seconds later I realized I was stuck down here until someone opened the door again. My eyes landed on a slippery-looking ladder and I started up the metal bars slowly to make sure I wouldn't slip.

I tried to find service for my cell phone but thanks to my crappy plan nowhere would work for even a single text or call. My fist pounded against the door and I shoved with all of my force but something was stopping the door. No matter how hard I rammed my good shoulder into it; I finally lost my balance and slipped off the ladder. I screamed until my throat was sore and my voice was gone and I wanted some kind of cold drink. I climbed and the ladder and pounded on the door until I was bruised and bloodied.

When I finally gave up the door suddenly swung open for a split second so something could drop through. I was halfway up the ladder when the door slammed shut again; I tried to scream but my voice wouldn't come. My feet hit the ground again with a light thump; I walked over to the mysterious item and saw it was a basket. There were a series of small, small holes in the wall that let just an inch or two of light in but it was enough to see the object. A basket, with a dark blue covering sat in the dirt with something delicious steaming inside of it.

I yanked off the blanket and dropped to my knees to eat the steaming potatoes and chug the cylinder of water. Half of the water was left by the time I cleared my throat and slipped off Fang's jacket, realizing how hot it had gotten. Here I was at least twelve feet below ground, being held captive by someone I couldn't see. I reluctantly folded the jacket and put it on the ground and placing my head on it; I only turned on my phone to check the time. It was midnight, I realized with a jolt and I quickly turned off my phone, not wanting to waste the battery.

_*****Back At Lunch A Few Minutes After Max Stormed Off*****_

"What's her deal?" Brigid asked, feigning innocence while running her fingernails over Fang's arm under the table. Fang pulled his arm away and gave her a warning look then he looked back at the way Max had gone.

He shook his head, "I don't know," he said finally and turned back to his lunch. He asked himself if he should go after her but in the end the others convinced him not to; they remembered when Iggy tried to console Max and he ended up with a black eye. Instead Brigid got up moments later and smiled sickly at all of them before she turned and walked out of the cafeteria.

"What do you think is wrong with Max?" Nudge asked finally, glancing curiously over her shoulder at the lunchroom doors. She wished she could've followed Max, but she knew that the guys were hold her back like they had done Fang.

Iggy scoffed, "I think it's pretty obvious that prepschool Barbie struck a nerve," he says and sends Fang a look. It's not like it's my fault, Fang thinks bitterly, I can't just tell Brigid to go away after the things we went through together. He shook his head slightly and continued to pick at his food.

Sam clapped his hands together and everyone at the table jumped, "So what do you guys want to do this weekend? I know it's only Monday but we need to get some stuff straight before it's too late," he says. Everyone glances at each other doubtedly; they usually didn't make any plans without Max with them.

Ella slowly sets down her fork, "Well Mom is going on a business trip this weekend and Maya plans on going with her. Dad is going to Florida for the game, so I guess we could all hang at our place this weekend." Iggy claps her on the back and she blushes, looking down at her food; she felt bad worrying about Iggy touching her when her sister just stormed away in a ball of fiery rage.

"Great, so we'll all meet there this Friday night!" Star grins and grabs Ratchet's hand to get him to stand up. "Now, if you don't mind, we have some personal business to attend to," Star says and the two were kissing before they even made it to Ratchet's car.

Finally, Kate and Nudge stood up abruptly, "We're going to go find Max," they declared and set off. Fang got up and left in the opposite direction to check out Max's alone places by the front of the school.

By the end of the day, the whole group plus some outsiders were searching for Max other than one person. This person, a girl, pulled the hood of her sweatshirt up before she left the house with a basket handle in the crook of her elbow. She stalked through the streets, ducking around the people still out searching for Max with the rest of the gang. The hood covered her face until she entered the school through the back way and she went straight for the stairs. Her hands dug in her pockets until she pulled out her old steel key and she began unlocking all of the locks and stuff she put on the door to keep it shut.

There was a small dent in the wood, but other than that it was completely secure so she took a breath and pulled it open. She took a split second to drop the basket down into the room before she slammed the door shut again and locked everything. Max would be able to climb that ladder in seconds if she was really determined, and she didn't want to take that chance. The girl flicked her hood back up, covering her long wavy hair and she rushed back down the streets until she reached her home. She went through the backdoor and made her way up the stairs and into her bedroom; she pulled off her hood to show her face and the girl that was finally revealed was...

_*****BACK WITH FANG AND IGGY*****_

"Max might run off, but she's never gone for this long," Fang groaned and ran a hand through his black hair. Iggy glanced over at his friend, he was uneasy seeing all the emotion Fang was using tonight.

Iggy shrugged, "Maybe she got tired of hiding her feelings and finally ran off with Dylan," he tried to joke but it was lost to Fang. He was heading towards the bridge that went in an arc above Max's favorite pond; his eyes set on one place. There was the same spot he had his picnic with Max only a few days ago and now it seemed like hundreds of years had passed since that time.

His stomach lurches again like every time it did when he thinks about that day and what happened that night. "She's not here, let's go check Mable's," Fang sighed and tugged Iggy along behind him towards the old ice-cream shop. The only people in there were two freshmen looking bored and completely ignoring each other; the guys left again.

"Dude," Iggy stopped Fang a few hours later, "it's almost one in the morning. Max loves to sleep, she's probably sound asleep in her bed right now." Fang nods slowly then drops Iggy off at his house before he drove to his own a few houses away.

When he entered his house he wasn't surprised to find Nudge fast asleep on their couch with her knees pulled to her chest. Fang picked up his little sister and carried her upstairs and into her blue and neon pink bedroom. He set her on her bed, kissed her forehead in a brotherly fashion, then left again with the door shutting lightly behind him. Fang hesitated before pushing open his own bedroom door as soon as he reached downstairs again. On his bed were the still ruffled sheets from Max's stay at his house and traces of urgency lingered like a smell around his bedroom.

He decided Iggy had to be right so he settled down on his bed in the exact same place from nights ago. Stars were twinkling through his window, seeming to taunt him as they danced across the dark sky. He buried his face in the pillow Max used and breathed in her scent, wondering when she'd call to say goodnight like always. When a half hour passed, Fang picked up his own phone and dialed the number to Max's house. The familiar voice answered, but it definitely wasn't the voice Fang wanted to hear especially at this point in time.

"Dylan," the voice shrilled, "cut it out. It could be my dad!" the voice hissed and there was a muffled thump. "Hello?" Maya finally said directly into the phone; Fang ran a hand down his face and tried to keep himself from spitting out thousands of questions.

"Where's Max?" he finally asked and there was the sound of feet hitting steps in the background and then a knock.

Maya came back onto the line, "I don't know why you're calling at one in the morning, Fang since you know she hates being woken up. That's beside the point, however, since Max isn't even in her bedroom."

"Check the basement," Fang ordered; there was a muffled argument and Fang argued back until she gave in. After more thumps and knocks and the tell-tale squeaks of the doors as they opened, Maya talked again.

"Look, she's not anywhere in the house, try your friends or something," then the line clicked and a beeping took over. Fang set the phone back down on the nightstand, then he turned over on his stomach and pulled the pillow over his head. He tried, and failed, to fall asleep so he started thinking about everything that had changed since the date night he had with Max.

1) Lisa was back.

2) Brigid was back.

3) Dylan and Maya were together again.

4) Nudge was having problems with Iggy, as was Ella.

5) Max disappeared without a trace.

6) Fang couldn't stop thinking about Max even more so than before.

7) Gazzy wasn't talking or living up to his nickname as much.

8) Angel seemed to have a crush on Ari, and the feelings must be mutual.

9) Max actually got hardcore, JEALOUS.

10) The only thing Fang wanted to do was find Max and tape them together to make sure she could never leave again.

Even Fang admitted to himself that last one was kind of creepy...


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: You guys must love me so much for updating so early... I know I'm the nicest person in the whole web-wide world. Anyways... I'm gonna skip all the mumbo jumbo and get down to some business. Here's your song quote and then your chapter.**_

_**"This is the game he plays,**_

_**always gonna cheat**_

_**Night after night,**_

_**Another girl, another drink**_

_**She doesn't see that she should be with me"**_

_**Tricky... Ah, not really. Okay welp enjoy the chappie and REVIEW! Oh and congrats to: Faximum Everdeen, VampireRide, Heart Breaking 101, Dot Ride, Plain-Jane001, and RandomPeep.**_

_**Oh and I leave for DC Tuesday so I can't update until maybe Saturday or Sunday night so that's why I'm posting this. I will try to get up another chapter up before Tuesday but it's doubtful. See ya later Alligator!- BlackSkinnyJeans101**_

_Nine_

Something plopped down on my stomach and quickly rolled off and down onto the dirty ground with an audible thump. I turned on my side and started to splutter as the dust and dirt entered my lungs; I coughed loudly. There was a loud, booming chuckle and then the slap of skin on skin so I'm guessing the chuckler slapped a hand over their mouth. My eyes creaked open enough to see some type of cooler-cylinder thing that was obviously meant to keep warmth inside and cold out. I opened it to find three biscuits, a glass jar of jam that I'm sure I could make useful, and another cylinder of what had to be apple juice.

The door to my prison slammed shut again and I just barely made out the sound of footsteps running away. I chomped down on the food until all that was left with the juice and I happily chugged half of that and I finished the half-cylinder of water I had from yesterday. Now it was time to find a way to get out of here or at least to contact someone to come get me out. For hours I walked around the surprisingly large-ish sized room to see if I could get at least a bar on my phone. No such luck.

It was freezing cold and even Fang's jacket couldn't give me as much warmth as I wished it would. His scent was slowly fading from the deep leather; I rubbed my hands up and down my arms. I shivered when a light breeze hit the back of my neck and then abruptly stopped; I whirled around. The small holes in the wall just barely sent enough light into the room for me to see the walls of the room. A haze was hanging in the air, I squinted my eyes and blinked but when my eyes flashed open again the haze was gone.

I climbed the ladder and started to pound on the small door when I heard the crowds starting to swarm into the school. No one took notice no matter how hard I rammed my hands and shoulder against the door. All I got to was a small dent before my vision doubled and I slipped off the ladder and landed on my back. I gasped, using my elbows to push myself up and scan the room slowly wondering where all of the short breezes were coming from. For a split second I thought I heard a girl's cry before it was gone and I was left alone to my thoughts again.

Hours later the door opened again and a small container dropped to the ground just before the door shut again. I narrowed my eyes and crawled to the container to chug down the water and single piece of fried chicken. My mind came up with a plan and at seven o'clock I climbed the ladder and just stared at the door. When it opened so the person could give me my dinner I caught a wisp of dark hair before something shocked me. A muffled scream broke through my unconsciousness and then the sound of thumping footsteps running away before everything went black.

_*****Third Person POV*****_

Nudge bit down on her bottom lip and walked even closer to Iggy as he was saying goodbye to his friends. He grinned and waved once more before turning his back and starting down the hallway in the exact direction Nudge planned. She silently followed him without being too noticeable but she was close enough to heard his soft footsteps. When she saw the door she'd been waiting for, she wrapped her arms around Iggy and pulled him into the room. He just had time to say her name before she pushed him against the classroom wall and started to kiss him fiercely.

Iggy was stunned for a split second before he started to kiss her back, he reached his hands up to cup her face. He moaned in the back of his throat and Nudge slowly slid her leg up his side to hitch around his waist. One hand moved to hold her ass as she jumped up and hitched her other leg around his waist. Iggy flipped them around to press Nudge against the wall and he licked her bottom lip before he slipped his tongue into her mouth. Nudge audibly gasped in shock and pleasure and she moved her tongue with his while he ground their hips together.

When he finally pulled back for air, she pressed their foreheads together and tightened her arms around his neck. "We can't do that again," Iggy panted and Nudge finally felt the things between their legs throbbing against each other. Nudge flushed, realizing she'd been getting excited as well and she dropped her legs from Iggy's waist.

"Not here at least," Nudge said daringly and pretended to look cool as she combed her fingers through her hair. Iggy grinned and pecked her lips, his hands slipped under her shirt and rubbed circles on her sides.

"Is little Nudge acting all tough?" he murmured seductively in her hair; Nudge shivered and looked down. Her cheeks flushed and she looked down while trying to fix her skirt where it had dangerously come all the way up her thighs. I am so stupid to actually wear a skirt when I knew I was going to be doing this, she thought to herself.

Nudge scoffed, "Iggy I think we both realize I'm not so little anymore," she said and Iggy gulped, his eyes roaming over her. "Do you want to get out of here?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck again and looking at him with honest curiosity and longing.

"Hell yes," Iggy said and picked her up bridal style to carry her over to the windows since they were on the first floor. He picked the lock on the window and hopped both of them out, they were kissing before they reached his car.

While Iggy and Nudge had their moment Fang was busy in class, talking to Ella and Ratchet about Max's disappearance. They agreed that if she didn't show up that night then they would go file a police report about a missing girl. Fang seemed so worn out with dark shadows starting to form under his eyes and he was starting to pick out random shirts from his closet. He wore one of the red shirts his mother had given him today and he probably didn't even realize it yet. All through class Fang was calling Max and texting her under his desk and he paid no attention too the lesson.

"Dude, I'm sure she's fine. I mean, she's Max," Ari finally said to Fang during lunch that day. Fang looked up, his gaze hard and his mouth twisted into a grim line that the others hadn't seen since the time Max had to go to Europe without any electronics and she had to leave him behind.

He finally replied in a deadly calm tone, "Even Max can be hurt," then he went back to picking at his food. Everyone else sat in a silence while they contacted everyone they knew to ask if they'd seen Max.

"Where are Iggy and Nudge?" Ella finally asked the question she'd had on her mind ever since lunch started. Kate and Star shared a look as did Holden and Ratchet but no one replied, which gave Ella the reason she didn't want. "I'm going to go see if Max showed up at home," Ella lied and quickly left before they could question her.

As soon as she was in Max car, she found and took the keys, she started the motor and took off to Iggy's house since it was closest. When she reached the welcoming house she stormed straight in and immediately heard the sounds. The tell-tale sounds that her friend and her crush were hooking up without even thinking about how it would hurt her. This is why I'm doing this, Ella thought with narrowed eyes as she purposefully slammed the door behind her so it echoed through the house. The sounds paused and there was muffled conversation before the sounds continued; Ella's smirk twisted into a grimace.

She hurriedly left the house with tears burning her eyes and the she rushed to her own house. As detected the sounds were coming from Maya's room as well when Ella ran past and up the stairs to her own bedroom. If only she could talk to someone, but her sister and her old best friend had already turned on her. Ella buried her head into the pillow on her bed and she started to cry and yell curses into the soft material. If only, Ella thought bitterly, I could show Iggy how Nudge wasn't worth his attention and I am the only girl that's beautiful and amazing enough to be with him.

_*****BACK WITH MAX*****_

It's been three weeks more or less, I realized as soon as I awoke one night and checked my phone for the time. After the eleventh day I started rejecting the food in an act of protest but I didn't know how long I could keep it up anymore. Every day I've tried escaping but I keep getting shocked or punched and I always black out and fall off the ladder. I was probably sporting a broken arm now, but all I really wanted was to talk to someone. Lately I've been hearing whispers around me, they surround me and suffocate me and I yell at the walls.

I talk to the floor and pretend it's talking back, and I'm afraid I've finally fallen off of my rocker or something. My stomach ached, my head hurt, and I would bet everything that people are starting to give up on me. Iggy hasn't even thought of checking here when he was the one that told me of the room in the first place. The familiar footsteps approached my door and the food was dropped down into the darkness like always. For a minute the person in the doorway watched me and the food; they made some sort of noise as if I should be eating.

My voice croaked when I said, "I don't want the damn food. I just want to talk to my boyfriend or my freinds or even my family," my voice cracked and I snapped my mouth shut. That was weakness and I heard the person above sigh; the door slammed shut a moment later and the footsteps retreated.

The food smelt amazing as always, but I blocked it out and went back to staring at the wall and trying to ignore the voices. My head hurt so much more than it should and I felt my body starting to give into the recesses of darkness. It wanted to give in, to finally just shut down and let me die in this room just like that girl did back then. A shudder shook my body and my grimy hand reached up to feel the wet that was trailing down my face. Everything was blurry, I felt my heart slowing and my stomach plummeting to my feet like a useless rock.

My throat was scratchy and I just barely noticed the small door above swinging open again and a startled cry made it to my ears. There was a screaming girl and then my vision doubled and I could feel everything shutting off. It was as if a huge switch inside my body flicked off and everything responded to it; I finally blacked out. The relief was immense even though I could hear a panicked voice and an argument trying to reach me. But it was too late, my mind and body finally agreed to finally let me give up and I was gone.

**_***Third Person POV again***_**

The girl panicked when she saw Maximum Martinez starting to sway where she sat and her body collapse in the dirt. Her eyes darted over to stare at the guy sitting next to her, wondering if he'd be angry she didn't keep a better eye on Max. He only clenched his jaw and started climbing down the ladder of the room to get to the teenage girl. The girl dropped in with him and tucked her dark hair behind her ear and she watched as the guy kneeled next to Max to cradle her head in his lap. A wave of jealousy hit her as she watched his dribble water into Max's nonresponding mouth followed with a roll.

"She's gone," the girl said decisively, tears pricking at her eyes and making her own sight blur slightly. The guy shook his head but didn't speak as he poured more water down Max's throat with a determined look in his eyes.

The girl stood back and watched, wondering how her little plan turned into this when she just wanted Max to stop trying to run her life. It was a harmless little plan and she tried to keep her fed, but everything went downhill when Max started to refuse the food. It wasn't her fault Max wanted to be stubborn so she starved herself and wouldn't take even a sip of water. The girl blinked her dark-ish eyes and she wiped away the few stray tears that ran down her cheeks. Max started to splutter with the water pouring out of the side of her mouth along with a dark pool of red coming with it.

She gasped, her hand covering her own mouth while she watched Max writhe and the guy panick as well. "We don't have a choice, we have to take her to the hospital," the guy said and the girl's eyes widened.

"They'll never trust me again!" the girl exclaimed, and the boy looked up to give her a dark look with his amazing eyes.

"You shouldn't have done it in the first place," he said and picked up a limp Max in his arms as the blood continued to come. "Hurry," he ushered the girl up the ladder and then he struggled to follow her with the extra weight settled on his shoulder.

Students stare and whispers started when the two ran through the hallways taking the limp girl with them. The girl bit down on her bottom lip, knowing Fang would soon hear the rumors and come rushing to Max. They burst through the front of the school and put Max in the backseat of the guy's car before the guy slammed on the gas. On the way to the hospital the two argued about which excuse they would use for finding a girl that had been missing for the past three weeks or so. When they pulled into the parking lot there were reporters already there to film the missing girl; news travels around a small town pretty fast.

"We need help," the girl says as soon as they get into the hospital and a nurse catches a look at Max. Blood was still trailing from the corner of her mouth and now she was hacking every two minutes or so.

The nurse widens her eyes and gets doctors to get Max on a gurney and she turns to the two young teens. "What are your names, kids?" she asks while trying to find something under her desk with furrowed eyebrows. The girl and guy shared a look and the girl let out a long sigh,

knowing this had been her fault in the first place.

"Ella Martinez and Gazzy Blake," the girl sighed and took the papers the nurse gave her to fill out. The two walked to the waiting area and they sat together to fill out the information they knew and they left blank what they didn't know. Just moments later the doors slammed open and Fang strode in looking exhausted but terrifyingly angry at the same time.

When he saw Gazzy and Ella he immediately over to them and jerked Ella up by her bicep, "What the hell did you do to her?" His voice was like steel grinding against ice and his eyes were so fathomless and cruel it made Ella shudder.

"I kept her locked up and she starved herself," Ella murmured the truth without meaning to let it out and Fang's grip tightened. His gaze turned on Gazzy, who was staring at Ella with the same burning look in his eyes.

Fang asked him, "What did you have to do with it all?"

Gazzy looked up at him, "She called me today asking for help, but I had no idea it was for Max until I got there. She was dehydrated and starved and she looked as if she had a broken an arm and a leg maybe."

Fang turned his hard gaze on Ella, "Why would you do something like this to your own sister? No, how could you do this to your own sister?"

Ella's own look turned icy, "She was trying to run my life and I was going to let her out as soon as I got Iggy to fall for me. She was in the way."

For the first time in his life Fang wanted to slap that girl so hard that should could feel the pain he went through when he thought Max was dead. After three weeks without hearing anything from someone you have to assume they're either dead or ignoring you. "You're a sick, twisted bitch," Fang just snarled, not in the least bit sorry to see tears well up in her eyes. "Iggy will never see you as more than low-life scum when he finds out you were the one that did this," he adds in a harsh snarl.

"That's enough," Gazzy stated finally and looked at Fang, "Max is hurt. Worry about Ella when Max is home in bed and actually awake and talking."

Fang immediately shook his head, "No, she's coming home with me. I don't trust her in a house with Ella there when Max can't defend herself." His voice was decisive and Gazzy knew there was no way to change Fang's mind about something like this.

"Alright, but you have to convince Miss and Mr. Martinez and not me," Gazzy replies and Fang nods but he was no longer listening. He was filling out all of the leftover information that Ella and Gazzy didn't know; there was a lot they didn't know.

"Who's here for Miss Martinez," a doctor stepped out of a back room and Ella got ready to say something but Fang gave her a nasty look. She shut her mouth as Fang went over to the doctor and waited for him to explain what was going on.

He takes a breath, "Well she's definitely starved and dehydrated but those are the only serious things. She damaged her arm from maybe falling on it and her ankle is twisted and she seems to be hallucinating. It seems as though the dehydration got to her head and she's hearing things and seeing things in her sleep. Maybe she has someone especially close to her to talk to her," he suggests but Fang was hardly listening.

"I'm her boyfriend, could I go in?" Fang asks hurriedly and the doctor barely has the time to nod before Fang was rushing him. They went through multiple hallways and passed many rooms until getting to a very specific room. Fang was the first one to go through the door and the doctor remained talking to a nurse in the hallway.

****Fang sighed in relief when he saw Max; at least she's alive, he tells himself.


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: You guys are sooooo lucky I love you.**_

_**I GOT ALL OF YOU! I wanted to make this story as unpredictable and trust me Ella's betrayal will be looked into more in the next chapter.**_

_**But I have to go finish packing for my trip soo here you go!**_

_**I started laughing at some of my views and I don't think I can say I love all of you enough anymore.**_

_**I'm not doing a song or quote thing in this chappie cause I don't have the time.**_

_**Enjoy and love you guys! See you sometime Sunday night!- BlackSkinnyJeans101**_

* * *

_Ten_

Even in my less than conscious state I could feel and hear and smell everything going on around me at all times. Like I could smell the constant disinfectant that swarmed me on all sides and threatened to suffocate me. And I could hear the incessant chatter of what had to be doctors and nurses surrounding me and checking my monitor. It was kind of obvious I was in a hospital but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't force myself to wake up or even talk. I've felt familiar lips on my forehead and the beautiful, lulling voice of my boyfriend that could relax me no matter what was happening.

He left maybe an hour ago under his mom's orders since, apparently, he'd spent the last two weeks at my side. A deep sigh tried to escape between my lips at the lonely presence in the room, but even that refused to come. The effort only made my throat burn and my lungs feel as if they were about explode with so much pressure on them. This feeling of being so helpless was so new to me and it really sucked, even though Fang was in the room most of the time. He can only do so much to keep me entertained and sort of at home, other than the terrible stinging smell, at this point.

Everything was vaguely playing back in my mind like a movie and I wondered how I got to this point. I hadn't done anything terrible for a couple of days before I was locked in a room and declared missing. Most of the stuff Fang did when he visited was apologize for not finding me beforehand and making me storm off in the first place. He would squeeze my hand and apologize but, no matter how hard I tried, I wasn't able to squeeze back. I wanted him to know that it wasn't his fault, that even if it was then I wouldn't care because I was back now. All I wanted to do was stay in his arms no matter how weak and cheesy it sounded.

"Come on in guys, but be quiet or we might make her go into shock," a familiar nurse's voice murmured from what had to be the door of the room. Shuffling feet filed into the room and I heard gasping and shocked cries from the girls while the guys probably tried to comfort them. I would usually roll my eyes but even if I did manage it they wouldn't be able to see since my eyes were practically glued shut for some reason.

Angel suddenly stated in a deadly calm voice, "I hate her with every living cell and tissue in my body. I hate her so much that if I could put her through this pain I would but I would do so much worse." There was a long silence that stretched out between Angel's short speech and Iggy, who decided to add his wonderful words of wisdom that almost left me gasping for air if I could gasp, that is.

"Ella didn't know it would turn out this bad," Iggy's voice was cold but he was still trying to stick up for an old friend. When what he said registered in my mind I felt like I was choking and my chest had stopped moving. Ella, my younger sister that I loved dearly even after the most terrible mistakes, was the one that locked me up and made me starve myself.

Kate screamed, "HELP! HER CHEST ISN'T MOVING ANYMORE!" her voice carried while I started to hack. Multiple other pairs of feet ran into the room and one of the older doctor's started yelling orders and there was a long beeping noise. Then everything went still and black again.

_*****AFTER THE FLOCK ARRIVES IN MAX'S ROOM*****_

Star folded her arms and looked down at her feet wondering who Angel was talking about since no one told the others who the person was that did this to Max. When Iggy spoke up and announced it was Max's younger sister, Star and half of the group was utterly shocked. Most of the guys had already suspected it would be Ella, but she was a friend to the girls and she seemed so innocent. Star shook her head in amazement, wondering how it always seems to be the quiet ones even in reality. Suddenly Max's monitor started to slow it's beeping and then it started to hum and beep in erratic patterns.

Kate started to scream and the flock had to be kept back from Max as doctors rushed in and started shouting orders. They rubbed the metal pads together and shocked Max, her chest thrust upwards but the beeping wouldn't return. Angel was crying now and Ari was holding her tightly while he held back his own tears at the sight. Iggy was already whipping out his phone and texting Fang and Maya in case she suddenly decided to come. The same procedure was done again and again with the same results until the doctor's started to give up.

At that moment Fang burst into the room and ran to Max's side, he ignored the roars of protest coming from the doctors and nurses around the room. He pressed his lips to Max's paling lips in a fierce, heated passion that most of the flock hadn't seen before. Her heartbeat sped up instantly, the beeping starting to go face paced until Fang pulled back and the beeping returned to normal. Everyone in the room sighed in relief but everything went dead silent in the room when they heard an extra sigh. Ella stood in the doorway, clutching her coat and glancing around anxiously at the rest of the flock.

Nudge was the first one to step forward with her eyes narrowed dangerously, "Get out of here, Ella. No one wants to see you, especially not right now," she says and crosses her arms and Ella copies her stance.

"You might think you're popular, but honey you ain't. Now move out of the way so I can see my sister," Ella replies with a glare that was similar to Maya's; also known as harmless.

"It's your fault she's here in the first place," Nudge exploded and shoved Ella as hard as she could. Ella stumbled back and her back hit the wall with a loud thump; Ella glowered at Nudge and straightened herself.

"You shouldn't have done that," and Ella launches herself at Nudge, taking them both down to the hard floor. Nudge landed on the floor on her back and she hissed in pain but reared back to punch Ella in the nose like Max taught her. Head wounds seem to bleed the most, which distracts the person from attacking again for a few seconds.

Nudge shoves Ella off of her and they roll so Nudge has a knee pressed down on Ella's stomach where a bruise was probably already forming. She slapped Ella and was ready to punch her again when Iggy dragged her off and held her away. Fang held Ella back except she was weak and only needed one hand to hold her back while Iggy held Nudge back by both arms just in case. They started screaming curses at each other and Star panicked so ran over and slapped both of them. Both girls were shocked and pissed at the same time, they glared at Star but she didn't back down.

"Look, right now we just need to focus on what we're going to do with Max now that she won't be able to fend for herself." Star states, trying to get everyone to focus; she was almost sure she heard a groan of protest from somewhere close to Max.

Ella ripped away from Fang and rubbed her bicep, "She's coming home. Where else?" she asked, confused.

Fang turned sharply, "No, she's staying with me until we're sure we can even trust you around her right now. She'll be in a vulnerable state and I don't want her anywhere close to the person that did this to her in the first place." Ella flinched, hearing something so harsh from Fang was rare but when he did it felt like your heart was being stabbed from with pins.

"Fine, but I'm not explaining that to Dad," Ella said seriously, "Mom won't notice but Dad sure as hell will."

Later everyone leaves but Fang stays behind in case something else happens and he isn't there to help. He grips Max's hand, willing her to squeeze his hand back or at least smile a little bit, even a smirk would work for him. But all he gets his silent while Max's unnaturally pale face starts to slowly gain its color back; he reaches up to brush hair behind her ear. That's when the corners of her lips twitched in just a small smile but it was enough for Fang to smile. He leaned down and touched his lips to her forehead and rested his head on the edge of her hospital bed with a heavy sigh.

**_***BACK TO MAX'S POV***_**

Blinding white light hit my eyes as soon as I finally forced them to open after a hard venture through a murky darkness. It felt as if water was closing in on me and trying to keep me down, but I could feel Fang's hand in mine and I felt his lips on my forehead. A smile just barely touched my lips as I finally blinked multiple times and I let my eyes roam slowly. The room was starkly white with blue-tinted tiles that looked mostly white and stained with something. I yawned and slowly forced my body in a sitting position in my incredibly uncomfortable bed.

My fingers and hand were incredibly warm, I looked down to see my hand clashing with a familiar hand. Slowly I ran my fingers through the raven black hair that was placed next to my body on the bed. The same, familiar silky strands ran over and between my slightly shaking fingers; I knew he'd wake up soon. Those amazing obsidian eyes lazily and blearily blinked; they roamed up and he stared right at me before looking away. Then he looked back at me, his eyes widened in uncontained shock while I grinned even though my throat was still incredibly dry and my head was pounding harshly.

"Max," he breathed and stood to pull me into a light hug that I admit did hurt thanks to my multiple bruises. You don't fall off a ladder and land on a hard concrete floor only covered in dust and not get some bruises. "You're finally awake," he murmurs into my oily blonde hair; I blush at my terrible appearance and pull away.

I rasp out, "Sorry," and I try desperately to pat down my hair without making something worse. Fang grips my wrists gently and he places them by my sides, he kisses my cheek with a small, boyish smile.

"You look beautiful as always, Love," he says and reaches up to wipe some more hair out of my eyes. A grim smile stretches across my lips until a doctor hurries into the room and starts yelling stuff. I felt a stinging pain in my arm and I cried out despite myself until I fell into that same damn pit of darkness. I was getting sick and tired of blacking out.

What seems like days later, which it turns out it was three days, I finally pull myself through that thick water again. This time it was a nurse that tsked at me but helped me out of my bed and I shuffled into my connected bathroom. I took the first showed I'd had in days and when I got out I checked my bruises and such in the mirror. The ones that had covered my stomach and back had finally disappeared and I noticed that my leg and arm were feeling much better. My nurse explained through the bathroom door that I had just sprained both and I was fine to go home in a day or so.

That was when I dropped to the lowest level of the low and I bribed the nurse to change my reports. She took the seven hundred bucks I held out to her and rushed to change the sign out date to today and instead of calling my mom I got her to call Fang. Not a half hour later I was literally being swept off my feet and I was carrie to Fang's car in silence. My headache was slowing thanks to the medicine my doctor insisted that I used now that I had been starved and dehydrated for so long. On the way to Fang's place I grabbed his hand on the console and intertwined our fingers.

We talked like nothing happened but we both knew Fang was thinking about ways to destroy Ella. I only let go of his hand to get out of the car and then I wrapped my arms around his arm and let him pull me into his house. Turns out Fang's parents were once again off on a business trip halfway around the world and they wouldn't be back for at least a month. I was going to stay at Fang's place until I was strong enough to take care of Ella in case she tried to attack me again or something. Of course I struck up an argument but Fang wouldn't have any of it and he just sat me down on his couch with a decisive smirk.

"What am I supposed to do all day while you're at school?" I demand when he tells me that I have to stay out of school for a couple more weeks.

Fang smirked easily, "Housewife things that won't stress you out too much," he says.

I smack his shoulder, "Sexist pig," I mutter.

"You are feeling okay, right?" he asks seriously.

"I'm fine, Fang, it's just a little headache now. But I am hungry.

"Put on a movie, I'll go fix something to snack on."

I grabbed his arm before he could go into the kitchen, "Remember what happened last time we watched a movie?" I warned and he shrugged with a smile.

"I'll take my chances," he says and walks into the kitchen where I hear popcorn starting to pop a moment later.

_**{A/N: Hehe, okay so there's some...um... sexual content coming up. I have to warn you because I don't want haters saying this is a terrible story just because they read the sex scene. It's happened before. Sorry if I had to ruin it for you. :( }**_

When he comes back I cuddle to his chest and he wraps his arms firmly around my waist; his nose nuzzles my neck. The movie started and Robin Hood comes onto the screen with a large grin splitting across his face. I had decided on Robin Hood: Men In Tights just incase one of us started to get irresponsible, or whatever you want to say for that. Anyways Fang continued to nuzzle my neck and it was getting hard to concentrate on the TV screen. When his tongue suddenly licked my neck slightly I shudder and pull all my hair to one side so he can get to my neck without disturbance.

His teeth nipped at my neck and I wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing him closer to me. His tongue flicked out again and he kissed up my neck, placing burning but irresistible kisses along my icy skin. I groan when he starts to suck on my neck while stealthily moving me back onto the couch so I was under him. He nipped and sucked until he was sure there was going to be a hickey then he trailed kisses along my shoulder, pulling down the strap of my tank-top. Then he kept going up and around until his lips just barely touched the corner of my lips and that did me in.

I slid my hands under his t-shirt and up along his amazing abs and to his shoulders until his shirt came over his head and fell to the floor. He didn't waste any time to slip my tank-top over my head and drop it to the floor along with his own. I slip my tongue into his mouth and wrap my arms around his waist to pull him flush against my body with his arms coming out from beside my head. We end up rolling off the couch and onto the floor with Fang on the bottom, but he just picks me up with my legs still wrapped tightly around him. He walks me to his bedroom and uses his heel to kick the door shut behind him with a muted slam.

We keep going until I give into him and he finishes a split second later, he rolls onto his back and pulls me to his chest. My bare back pressed against his bare front and I was so content that I didn't feel my headache or hunger anymore. He fingers my hair and kisses the back of my neck with a smile that I could feel pressing to my damp neck. Honestly I felt amazing at the moment but tomorrow he had to go back to school and I would be stuck here alone for eight hours. I sighed contentedly and ran my fingers up and down the arm that was wrapped around my bare waist, keeping me in place.

**_***THE NEXT AFTERNOON***_**

I collapsed on the couch, exhausted now that I was left alone with only a note from Fang to keep my company. This morning around ten I woke up alone with a note from Fang on the bedside table with the usual boyfriend stuff. Now I was settled in only Fang's over-sized long-sleeved black V-neck sweater that he rarely only wears unless he also has on a black leather jacket. The sleeves were long enough so I could curl the ends around my hands and hold them there; I left all of my other clothes somewhere in Fang's room. I thought about what Fang said yesterday about the housework thing and maybe I could clean up a little bit.

Last night we ended up making a huge mess in the hallway and the bedroom and the living room without knowing it. We even broke an old vase when Fang pressed me against the wall in the hallway last night and my foot hit a table. He didn't even notice and I was a little too occupied to care; you get the image of how messy the house is now. I bit down on my bottom lip and forced myself to get off of the couch even though I might regret it later. The first time we slept together I didn't feel pain afterwards and I couldn't help but wonder why I was now.

****The area between my legs was sensitive to where I sat and I was pretty sure it had something to do with how rough we went last night. The first time it was slower and less fierce but last night we really went at each other with passion and... stuff. I'm not to explain all of this to you people, well the little audience that is oddly in my head at this time. First I started in the living room; I grabbed a broom and slowly got to work.

* * *

_**A/N: Sorry about the sucky ending but my mom's telling me to get off and finish packing. Don't worry I'll work as much as I can while I'm gone. See ya!**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: Yes, I do realize this is up way later than I said it would be, But the thing is as soon as I got back my teachers started emailing me assignments.**_

_**I'm supposed to be finished with like twenty sheets of math HW at the moment so be so freaking grateful. Again, if you want me to post a quote then private message me with the quote and the book/movie/song it is. Okay, great. Here you go!**_

_**Totally scared to read reviews because of last chapter's sucky ending... -BlackSkinnyJeans101**_

_Eleven_

By the time it would be lunch for Fang the house was scrubbed spotless and I was aching but putting up with it. The pain from my hostage situation was almost completely subsided but maybe sleeping with Fang on the same night I was let out of the hospital wasn't such a great idea. Those people that are shouting "I told you so" at me, let me just remind you of how hard it is to keep in a girls' hormones after sleeping with someone for the first time. Yeah, so shut your mouth and let me continue with my life story; thank you very much. Anyways, when I finished cleaning I once again collapsed on the couch and tugged Fangs' shirt sleeves over my hands again.

I looked down at my terribly sweaty body and wrinkled up my nose in disgust at the smell that must be wafting from me. Grudgingly, I stand from the amazingly cushiony couch and I amble to Fang's bathroom that connected with his bedroom. All of his manly shampoo items were neatly placed in the shower just like how I knew they would be considering I came in here and organized the bottles by size. I flick on the water and step into tub, letting the warm droplets slither down my body and land on the bathroom floor. This was ending too quickly and I would end up alone outside again if I didn't do something, so I did what everyone would do when they were stalling while standing in a shower.

My foot played with the plug until it slid down and forced the water to start gathering in the tub by the droplets. While it started filling up, I washed and rewashed my hair with Fang's manly shampoo since I was too lazy to open the new bottle I brought with me. I shaved my legs and underarms, or armpits if that's what you want to call them for some odd reason. Then I continued to rub my soapy sponge across my stomach under the water to watch the suds slide off slowly. I shook my head at my stupidity and eventually shut off the water when it reached the middle of my lower legs.

When I stepped out I changed into a white long-sleeved top with "SMILE" in black block letters on the front and it was a cut off so it showed my stomach and my lacy red bra stood out through the fabric. It was only Fang, so I shrugged and pulled on some blue Victoria's Secret Boyfriend sweatpants with "PINK" on the butt in black. I dried through my hair and put on a blue-light, blue-dark, blue-purple beanie that JJ knit me for Christmas last year. I slipped my feet into some white sweater-slipper boots with my black-clad socked feet. And finally I clasped the silver butterfly necklace Fang gave me for our anniversary present around my neck. {Do I really need to say it? Link on my profile like all of the other outfits!}

By this point I had about ten minutes until Fang would get back; I sit on the couch again and flip through the channels on the TV. After about three seconds I gave up and went to the kitchen to find something to eat; I only had burnt toast for breakfast this morning. I dug through the cabinets before I finally found my secret love, Ravioli, and heated it up in the microwave. It beeped and I finished it off in a minute when the front door finally swung open; a familiar voice called me. A squeal almost came from my lips when I dashed into the living room.

There stood the man I've loved since forever in the doorway with the sunlight coming in from behind him. He called me again and I listened closely to the way he said it; it's like his voice fills that one name with love and then lets it out. His raven black hair is shaggy as always, his eyes shine in their usual way, and I could make out the golden specks. A smirk curled up one side of his mouth in that sexy way that he does; his eyes spotted me and his eyes roamed for a few seconds. I just realized I've been rambling about Fang in my head a lot lately.

I jumped on Fang, painfully may I add, and he chuckled as he hugged me back with a smile curling up his lips. "Hey, Love, I missed you too," he buried his nose in my hair and I smiled again with my arms snaking quickly around his neck. My legs were wrapped around his waist again with his hands under my ass to keep me from falling. "You smell familiar.

My face pulled away from where I had it in the crook of his neck, "I used your shampoo because I was too lazy to get my own." I told him while his thumbs rubbed my bare hips lovingly, goosebumps erupted on my arms and legs. "Come on, let's do something," I tug on his arm and he looks around at the freshly cleaned house.

"Did you clean?" he was shocked, his mouth openly gaping at the incredibly clean state of everything we passed. I laughed and nodded, continuing towards the couch where I dropped down on my back and pulled him down on me.

_**~An Hour Later~**_

Before you jump to conclusions, no we did not end up sleeping together again; we just made out for a while. Sure, his hands occasionally went too far up and mine went too far down, but we always stopped each other. We can't be one of those couples that only stays together for the sex; I was always worried about that happening with any of my previous boyfriends. There was a loud knock on the front door, forcing us to pull away from each other and for Fang to remove his hands from under my shirt. I pulled my hands away from his ass and stare over at the door.

"You're going to have to get that, I have to go take a cold shower," he kisses my forehead and I giggle a little. I wait until Fang is in the shower before I fix my hair in the mirror hanging on the hall wall; the person knocked again. The person kept knocking until I finally flung the door open, still trying to sit my beanie the right way on my head.

A guy I hadn't seen before stood in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest with blonde hair hanging in one eye. "Can I help you?" I asked, leaning on the doorframe and watching this dude closely. His head snapped up and I noticed how dark his green eyes looked; almost as dark as the summer grass.

"Is Fang here?" he asks finally after looking me up and down with a perverted smile on his slightly handsome face. To any other girl he would've been like a god just like Fang, but Fang is way hotter than this guy.

I glance over my shoulder for a split second, "He's, uh, taking a shower," I reply unsteadily; I was the reason he had to take that shower. The dude raised his eyebrows.

Then he smiles again, "A cold shower?" he asks and by my flushed face he could obviously tell that was a yes question. "So Fangy my boy is getting some," he nods like this made perfect sense in his mind.

"Can I help you?" I repeat, now annoyed by however the hell this guy thinks he is; he glances over my shoulder.

Then his eyes lock squarely onto my own, "Sorry for not introducing myself before," he takes my hand in his own. "I am Drake Ride, Fang's younger brother by about five minutes," he says and then pushes past me and into the house.

"Fang doesn't have a brother," I state after shutting the door firmly behind him.

Drake looks back at me, "He never told you? Fang has me as his paternal twin and we have one older sister and one younger sister, not including Nudge. We just aren't around so much," he says as if this is the most obvious thing in the world.

I was about to reply when Fang stepped out of the bathroom in just some jeans, "Drake, what are you doing here?" He asks immediately when he sees Drake standing in the hallway, talking to me; I was obviously letting off my pissed expression.

I grab my phone and keys from the table, "I'm going over to check on Total," I say decisively with my lips pressing into a thin line. Fang looks at me for a split second, pleading with his eyes but I'm already out the front door; it slams behind me.

**_*FANG'S POV*_**

As soon as Max leaves I know she's going to kill me for never telling her about this; I glare at my younger brother. "What the hell are you doing here, Drake?" I growl; he plops down on the couch I was just making out with Max on.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Fangy. I just came by to visit my older brother. Oh, that reminds me! Carmen and Carter will be coming over soon, too. Apparently Mother and Father are coming home early and they want all of us together again. I think they said something about moving, but I have no idea," he shrugs.

For a split second I'm frozen, knowing Max couldn't be over here if my family was coming back so early. Then I'm grabbing Drake by the collar and shoving him against a wall, "What are you going on about, Drake? Mom said nothing to me about any of this," I narrow my eyes dangerously and Drake gulped audibly.

"Okay, I'll tell you everything I know just put me down," he stutters and I finally drop him; he lands on the floor heavily. He gasps for air for at least ten minutes until he finally picks himself up and walks over to the recliner.

"Hurry up," I say when I see him trying to grasp for words.

He blurts, "Jason cheated on Carmen," and then he immediately looks down while he continues but I'm no longer listening.

Carmen, my 19-year-old sister, has been dating this guy Jason for the past three years and she had fallen for him. I didn't trust him and Carmen got mad when I gave him a face-job when I found him making out with another girl. She left with him to New York soon after, considering he's three years older than her and he already had an apartment. My parents took my side, so Carmen just stopped talking to us altogether just to stay with Jason. Sure, we knew this would happen sometime but none of thought Carmen would come crawling back to us when it did.

Now, Drake, is a whole other story about why he left on his own and why he never came back or tried to talk to us. He hated authority, as did I, and we were always breaking the rules and getting into some serious trouble. Our parents moved him to a boarding school where he ran away and hijacked a car to travel around the world. He occasionally called me to tell me of his latest stunt but that was back when we were fifteen and then he just stopped. No one heard from him after that and he never tried to come back even when he was broke; he just stole from others.

Nudge was adopted soon after Drake left and she decided to stay here after everything my parents did for her. Before she was taking to the adoption agency, Nudge was hit by her father and her mother was a drunk. She was only six when she was shipped to the agency after a neighbor heard her screaming and crying. Her parents were only fifteen when they had Nudge and they were disowned by their families. This caused them to take their anger out on poor Nudge; she's tried to hide it but I sometimes hear her crying at night when I can't do anything about it; she just pushes everyone away during those moments.

Finally, Carter is my now 14-year-old sister and she was never home because she went on all the business trips. She hates everything and anyone, so she always goes with our parents on their trips and usually she stays. They went to Paris this time and she went with them from where she was currently in the last place they went. Carter does everything she can to not come back to this place where she would have to deal with her bullies. No one ever thought she was a cool person like she can be; they all saw her as the idiot with no friends so she left.

I never left because that would mean my mom lost another child in the family and she couldn't deal with that. The miscarriage she had a few weeks before Carter turned eight really hurt her and suddenly she wanted to bring all of my siblings back. None of them agreed and she begged me not to leave her like the rest of them, but she wasn't the only reason I stayed. By that time I realized I liked Max a lot more than a friend and I couldn't leave her behind like that. So I stayed and I ended up dating some girl to get Max jealous, and you guys know the rest of that.

Something must be seriously wrong if my siblings are suddenly willingly coming back to this place for Mom. "So Mom wants us to move in together so we can try and rekindle our family," Drake finishes whatever he was talking about.

"Whatever, I have to go talk to Max," I grab my leather jacket and stand from the couch until Drake comes and stops me.

He says, "Let me guess, Mom and Dad don't know about her yet."

"Nope, and they won't know anytime soon," I brush his hand off and try to leave again but he forcefully pulls me back again.

"If you don't introduce her to them and the girls then she's going to end up leaving you, Fang. You know as well as I do that girls hate secrets and you sleeping with her makes it even worse. Soon it'll dawn on her that she slept with you without even meeting your parents and she'll feel bad about it."

"Mom and Dad know her, they just haven't seen or talked to her or her family since like third grade," I say dismissively. He, once again, stops me and I was seriously starting to get annoyed at him for doing this.

"That doesn't count. She's going to leave you, and she won't trust you again until you introduce her to our parents. I saw the way you pleaded with her not to be angry with your eyes, Fang. You love this girl and letting her meet our screwed family is better than losing her. Make the right decision before it's way too late," he then let me go and walked to the guest bedroom.

I slide on my black leather jacket and leave the house, starting next door where Max was supposedly checking on Total and his buddy, Akila. Miss Baker was out for the month therefore I am in charge of watching both dogs and both of them were coming with me soon. That means I also get all of the puppies the two have in the next couple of months; the house is quiet. Max isn't in any of the rooms, only Total and Akila are in the house and even they are silent. They are curled up on the couch, sleeping and nothing has been touched since the last time I was here.

Groaning, I knew she had gone home to confront Ella about the whole locking up thing; I go back over to my house. Drake is blasting music from the guest bedroom when I walk inside to grab my motorcycle keys and I leave again. I go as fast as I can, sometimes swerving through cars so I can get to Max's house in a matter of two minutes. When I arrive Max's car sits in the driveway still and I realized Max would've had to take a taxi to get here. Then I notice Kate's car sitting in front of the house and she was sliding into her car, she waves as she passed me.

I don't bother knocking and instead I slip into the house, and silently make my way upstairs to Max's bedroom. She isn't in there, but I hear screaming in the room next door; I go over to Ella's bedroom and knock on the door. It isn't long before Ella answers, her face is red and she has a black eye that matches her busted lip. In the middle of the room Max stands silently and our eyes lock for a moment where she actually glares at me. Ella has a limp but Max is perfectly fine other than when she shifts the weight on her legs and winces.

Ella opens her mouth to ask something but I shove past her and walk over to a glowering Max hurriedly before she can make a run for it. I take her face in my hands and she looks down, refusing to even make eye contact with me anymore. A frustrated sigh leaves me, "I was going to tell you Max, I swear," I murmur but she doesn't shift.

"It doesn't matter," she finally mutters and pushes herself away from me; I drop my hands again and stare at her. All I see is betrayal shining in her eyes; I told her everything but I kept one huge secret to myself and it hurt her. I know it's better not to press any farther so I turn and leave, slamming the bedroom door behind me as hard as I could.

**_~A Few Minutes Before in Max's POV~_**

Ella stared at me, dumbfounded, as she touched her black eye and winced noticeably; I smile sardonically at her. "That's what you get for locking me away for so long," I snap and she sits down on her bed, her face going red.

"You know as good as I do that I had a perfect reason to do that," she says finally but she never broke eye contact. This is what I needed, a good little yelling argument after everything that happened with Drake, Fang's 'brother'.

I raise my eyebrows and come over to stand in front of her, I punch her again so her lip busts and she falls on the carpet. "Why don't you tell me while I pretend to care?" I say sarcastically but she spits blood into a napkin and agrees.

"Well first of all you totally ruined my chances of being with Iggy, when you knew I was in love with him and I still am!" She pretty much screams.

"You knew you two wouldn't last. You were making goo goo eyes at any cute guy that passed you anywhere at anytime. Nudge is better for him than you will ever be!" I snap back angrily.

She scoffs, "Then why did he sleep with me?"

I was downright furious at how she was lying; she had always been terrible at lying to anyone's face but especially terrible when it came to me. "I can't believe you would lie about something like that! You and Iggy will never be together, Ella! He doesn't love you! He loves Nudge, get that through your thick skull!"

Ella narrowed her eyes, her face turning red, "Listen to yourself, Max! You have always tried controlling my life! You have always been the number one daughter to dad! He loves you and spoils you like you're a freaking dog! But in some ways you are," she says nastily.

"That's it?! You locked me up in a supposedly haunted room just because I am Daddy's little girl?! Are you damn serious?!"

"That's not it, Max! Even Mom likes you more than she likes me! She loves that you have a mind of your own! She thinks I'm just a follower that trails behind you! You are the one that gets everything she wants and then I'm left behind for your crumbs! Your leftovers! Do you know how humiliating it is for me?!" she screeches.

"It was never my fault that you couldn't get a mind of your own! You are my little sister and I love you, but this isn't you. You did have a mind of your own, but trying to get me out of the picture for a while wasn't the greatest thing to do. Iggy hates you now, Ella, everyone hates you now because of your jealous mistake!"

For a split second everything is completely silent and then there's a knock on the door and Ella's limps over to it. She was limping from where she hit the back of her knee on her bed after I punched her and she stumbled back. Her face was still bright red when she threw open the bedroom door and there stood Fang, looking as amazing as always. His hair was windblown. telling me he used his motorcycle to get over here as soon as possible. I was so close to running over and hugging him, apologizing for leaving but I remembered Drake and stood my ground.

He talked to me and then left, his face going expressionless like it never was when we were together usually. The door slammed shut behind him and I winced, ready to start crying like a baby at all of this. My little sister hates me, my boyfriend is mad at me, my friends are probably going to be mad at me soon, and I have no idea what to do with myself anymore. Ella glances at me, wondering what was going on but she saw me starting to cry and she paused. Then she walked over, wrapped her arms around me, and we stayed like that crying with each other and apologizing again and again.

Later that night I'm ready to call Fang and talk to him like we always did, but I just drop my phone again. After today, I didn't dare go back and stay at Fang's house again like he wanted me to and instead I just curled up in my bed. Things were far from fixed between Ella and I, but at least we aren't tearing each other's throats out. I was just laying there and thinking when someone landed on my balcony and used his key to come into my room. He sat on the end of my bed and stared at me, knowing I wasn't sleeping like I was hoping to fake so I wouldn't have to talk.

"Come on, Max, I know you better than that," he pulled my up and made me stare at him for a few seconds. Iggy looked at me sadly and that was enough to make me break down and cry again, he held me to him. I cried and cried over everything that happened since the last time I actually let myself cry; before I cried with Ella, that is.

About an hour or so later I pulled away and looked at his soaked shoulder, I sniffled and rubbed my thumbs below my eyes. "I'm sorry, Iggy," I muttered and pulled my hair into a tight ponytail and stood from my comfy bed.

"Max, everyone has a right to cry every once and awhile. Fang should've told you a long while ago, but he didn't want you to ask questions and such like everyone else." Iggy says while I was hanging my beanie on my Beanie Wall with the rest of my beanies when I froze.

I turned on him, my eyes now glaring even though they're puffy and red, "You_ fucking knew_?" I growled. Realizing his mistake, Iggy opened his mouth but instead he just nodded his head sadly and looked down at his hands. "How long?"

"Since the fourth day Fang and I met," he admits; my stomach twists painfully.

"Get out," I say and point to the door; Iggy stands and quickly moves to the balcony instead.

He sighs before he leaves, "No one else in the group except Nudge, of course, knows, Max. I only knew because I broke into his house one night and he was talking to Drake. At that time they all still lived together, but he never told anyone about his siblings for a reason. Look, it isn't my story to tell but Fang has a good reason about hiding his siblings all along."

I stare at him, "I don't want excuses. Get out and I don't want to see you or Fang or Nudge for that matter for a while," I snap. He nods and sadly leaves; I walk into my bathroom and start water for a long bath; I was too tired to deal with all this crap right now.

_*****READ THIS*****_

_**A/N: This chapter was kind of confusing and longer than usual. It'll get better. Byyee :) **_

_**P.S. Sorry for any bad language... it comes natural even when I'm just typing an argument instead of saying. Whoops.**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: Soooo I finally got up the courage to check out my reviews... wow some of you guys are majorly confused. If you DON'T GET IT then reread and like I said it will come together soon. I've got this whole thing worked out in my mind and NO ELLA ISN'T FORGIVEN. Just WAIT...**_

_**Lol, so I read through this one persons review *cough* VampireRide*cough* and I started cracking up so hard. Man that person is cray-cray :D 'K well I hope this chappie makes up for such a long wait!**_

_**And one of you asked for less sex because Max may become pregnant soooo lets get something straight person... I don't like ruining my stories with teen pregnancy's so she won't be getting pregnant anytime soon. They use protection and Max is on the pill... so she's good. Anyways...**_

_**Enjoy you peoples! -BlackSkinnyJeans101**_

_Twelve_

***NUDGE'S POV***

Iggy was standing at his dresser, his back towards me and he was breathing heavily with hands flat on the dresser top. He had pulled his boxers back on and now I was stuck in only his white t-shirt; as far as I knew he was trying to get himself back in control. I have no idea what's wrong with him, only that he came to my house in the middle of the night and came into my room. He begged me to come to his house, which is thankfully empty, and I agreed almost immediately so I packed an overnight bag and came here. It was like a ravenous animal took over him as soon as we were inside and he started making out with me until we were suddenly in his room and now here we are.

I slowly stood from the bed, wincing slightly as I walked over and wrapped my arms around him from behind. For only a half second he tensed then he turned and hugged me to him, picking me up bridal style and sitting with me on his bed. He kissed my slightly damp forehead then he pressed his forehead to mine; he was smiling with his eyes closed. His thumbs rubbed my arms and I placed my head in the crook of his neck, still holding onto him tightly. For a while we sat like that with him holding me and with me lightly kissing his neck; he kept muttering things to me that sounded like sweet nothings.

Then he said so quietly I'm pretty sure I wasn't meant to hear it, "I love you Nudge," he says into my hair. I freeze and so does he when he realizes I heard it; he looked down at me then, but I was staring down at the floor. He loves me, I think, he finally realizes that he loves me.

"I love you, too, Iggy," I reply and he hugs me back to his bare chest; his lips kiss my neck once before he reluctantly lets me go. He stands, sitting me on the bed and running a hand through his already ruffled hair from me tugging on it so much.

He finally says what was bothering him, "I told Max I knew about your siblings and now she doesn't want to talk to you, me, or Fang. I tried to reason with her, but she pushed me away," he groans into his hands while I look down and try not to freak out. Max is my new best friend since Ella turned on us, and having her angry at me was a blow to my heart I couldn't take.

"Is that why you slept with me? Because you needed to blow off steam?" I stood from his bed and started gathering my clothes hurriedly. "Are you really that damn shallow?" I practically screech and throw his shirt across the room so I can pull on my nightgown. Strong arms wrapped around me and he pulled me back into his chest but tears were already flowing. "Get off of me! You are such an ass!" I screamed, no longer caring he told me he loved me just before.

The first time we came here we didn't even sleep together, we got close to it but I stopped him before we could. We just made out some and then we thought we heard a door slam so Iggy checked it out just to see everything fine. After that we made out a little, me straddling him, but then we just laid there and talked to each other about everything. He was so sweet and he kissed my neck every other couple of seconds; I loved every second of it. I just slept with him and gave him my virginity just to find out he only did it to blow off his steam and it didn't really matter to him like it did to me.

"Nudge! Hold on!" Iggy finally shouted and threw me on the bed before I could run out of the room and away from him. He trapped me under him and on the bed; I was stuck staring into his icy blue eyes with my own plain brown ones. "No, Honey, I would never sleep with you just because I was angry and needed to use something to get my mind off of it. I wouldn't sleep with you, period because I would only, ever, make love to you. Because I love you," he pressed his forehead to mine and kissed my nose lovingly.

I gulped, "I'm sorry, Iggy. Everything has been happening so fast lately and I still can't believe you chose me over Ella." That made him go off; he grabbed me by the arms and got me up in a sitting position so he could stare at me. His fingers hooked on the bottom of my nightgown and pulled it up and threw it onto the bedroom floor; I flushed. I crossed my arms to hide my chest and tugged the blanket up and over my waist but Iggy wouldn't have it and removed both.

"You are the most gorgeous girl I have ever laid eyes on and you will always be the most gorgeous girl ever in my eyes. Your eyes are like melted chocolate, always warm and loving even in the worse situations and they go darker when you're angry. And your skin is like mocha, smooth and made to perfection; it is just a part of how beautiful you are. Your hands are soft and caressing, giving off a warm feeling every time you touch me and sending shocks through me all the time. Your lips have the smooth feeling of grapes and yet they are plump and delicious to kiss," he pecked my lips then continues.

"You are perfection and not just on the outside, Nudge. You have a long temper; you have that sense of being able to forgive but you never forget. You can be snappy when you want to and you can always stick up for either a friend or a complete stranger. You aren't afraid of anything if you need to do something to make someone else happy; you look after everyone else before yourself. You can block everyone out that says rude comments about your constant chattering. You honestly couldn't care about what anyone says as long as you're happy with yourself, and you love the way you are. I love the way you are, and our friends love the way you are no matter what happens," and he gives me a sweet, caring kiss again.

Tears are shining in my eyes and I jump on Iggy, wrapping my arms around his neck and making him fall back on the bed. I hug him tightly, crying happily in his shoulder and peppering him with kisses all over his neck and face and shoulders. He wraps his arms around me, holding me to his bare chest and pulling the sheets of his bed over us. I pulled away a few minutes later and he kisses my forehead; I turn over and let him pull my back to his chest. We talked, my fingers playing with his until it was late and I fell asleep, smiling and feeling better than ever.

***FANG'S POV***

Carter arrived first, dropping her bags on the floor and throwing her sunglasses and purse onto the couch. Her black hair was scraped out of her face and into a tight ponytail, her dark green eyes looking over the house in disgust. One reason she was my second least favorite was her attitude; she acted like the world should be bowing down to her. When she saw me, she sort of zoned out and then she marched farther into the house and over to me. She wrapped her arms around my torso, she is only fourteen, and hugged me for a split second before pulling back again abruptly.

"Hey big bro, where's Drake?" she asked, looking around as if Drake was going to pop out from behind a corner suddenly. Drake was always her least favorite and, as far as I know, I'm her favorite for some odd reason.

I rolled my eyes, thinking of yesterday, "He went to town to pick up some girls, and I was actually just heading out. Nudge should be home soon, her chorus practice just ended," I patted her head then left the house. It's only eight in the morning and my parents don't arrive until noon; Carter left yesterday to get here faster.

Now I'm on my way to Max's house, in my car considering I have to bring Total and Akila with me now that Carmen's coming back. Carmen is deathly allergic to dogs and Mom is deathly afraid of dogs; I have to see if they can stay with Max if it wasn't obvious. This was going to be so hard to do without wanting to kiss her as soon as she opens the door; just a kiss on the forehead would be amazing. I press the button for the gates and their cook answers, I give him my name and my reason for being at the house. He finally lets me in after someone yells at him, probably Max's dad, to let me in; the gates creak open in protest.

I drive up the pebble driveway, turning around the circling that goes around a fountain; I step out into the sun. Total hops out first and I carefully helped a very pregnant Akila step out on the pebbles; Total licks her face lovingly. Max's dad steps out of the house, grinning and gesturing for me to come inside along with the dogs. He immediately leads me to the fenced backyard and we let them out before I follow him to his man cave in the basement. We walk in and plop down on our usual recliners, switching on the full-wall TV screen used for sport games.

"You want a beer, Fang?" he asks, digging through the mini-fridge between our seats and he passes me one before I answer. When we first watched a game I declined but he told me to drink one anyways because I was really tense. Max had asked me to spend some 'bonding time' with her dad, and what guy wouldn't be nervous about hanging out with his girlfriend's dad?

I unscrew the cap and take a swig, "You probably found out by now that I made Max angry with a long-kept secret."

"Yeah, she came and told me earlier this morning and she seemed pretty pissed, Fang," he said and took a long gulp of his own beer.

"It's not like I knew it would hurt her; if I knew then I would have told her a lot sooner," I take a sip then set it down with my hand wrapped around it on the armrest. Jerry looked over at me again then back at the football game playing on the big screen; he tapped his fingers on his leg for a few minutes, silent.

He finally says, "Looks like you need to first ask her to come meet your family and you need to make her forgive you. So go," he jerked his head and I took another swig before setting down my half-full bottle down and leaving.

I wasn't surprised to find Max sunken down in a bubble bath, humming under her breath with her eyes shut. Silently, I enter her bathroom and drop slowly down onto my knees beside her bathtub but she doesn't notice. My fingers brush some wet hair behind her ear, "Please here me out for a moment, Love," I murmured.

Her icy eyes snap open, looking over at me and then relaxing slightly but not much when she notices who it is. "I've already told you I don't want your excuses, Fang. Now leave before I scream for my dad," she snaps.

"He's the one that sent me up here, Gorgeous. And I'm not here to give you excuses," I run my fingers down her face and her lips almost curl up in a smile. Until, that is, she grabs my hand and removes it from her beautiful face again; I frown but don't try and touch her again.

She frowns as well, "Then what are you doing here, Fang?"

I take a deep breath, "I want you to come and meet my parents and other siblings, tomorrow night," I finally say and she locks eyes with me.

"Are you serious?" she asks and I slowly nod even though I most definitely don't want to let her to come and meet them. She smiles and leans out of the tub long enough to peck my cheek, "I'm in the bath so you better go. Pick me up at 8?" she asks and I nod again, staying silent until I get to her bathroom door.

"I love you, Maximum Martinez," I say and then I shut her bathroom door because I knew she was too angry at me to reply at the time. Her dad agrees to let the dogs stay here and I make sure all of their stuff is settled in the huge backyard hurriedly. Then I leave her house and regretfully drive back to mine, knowing my parents would already be waiting.

~At Fang's House After He Explains To His Mom About Max~

"Of course she can come over tomorrow night! This will be so great! I can't believe I was so busy that I didn't recognize my own son was in love!" My mom pulled me into a hug, a very tight hug that I returned without so much freaking pressure; I swear she was about to crack my spine.

I pull away first, "Just please make sure Drake, Carter, and Carmen don't fight as much this time," I practically beg. The very first girl I brought home to my parents ended up running out of the house, screaming. This is because Carmen and Drake were arguing over which way would be better to murder a young girl without being caught. My guest thought they were serious and talking about her, so she ran away screaming and never even looked at me again.

"Don't worry, honey, we aren't that bad anymore! Now, this will be a fancy kind of dinner so we have to get you boys nice button-up shirts and jeans without holes in the knees. The girls will need dresses, including me. And the dinner will have to be perfect," she continued to mutter to herself as she turned and walked away.

Carter poked her head through the door, "Did Mom just say something about getting put into dresses again? Is Fang bringing home another girl?" she took one look at me then grinned evilly before running off to tell Drake and Carmen. I groan and run my hands through my hair, already stressed about this whole thing and it's still more than twelve hours away.

About ten minutes later there's a loud bang and then Drake is shouting curses most likely at Carmen and then something breaking. Carter comes rolling down the stairs, screaming up the staircase and flipping someone off; someone throws a vase at her. It misses by about half an inch and crashes into the wall behind her; she screams more profanities and marches upstairs again. Of course, our parents are oblivious so I follow Carter up the stairs and into the guest room Drake is using now. The girls are being forced to share the guest bedroom downstairs since there are only two guest rooms and that one is the largest.

"What the hell is going on?" I ask Carmen when I come into the bedroom and see Drake on the bed with something in his hand. Carter is throwing very sharp things at him while Carmen stands back and gives Carter aiming advice.

"Just the usual fun, little bro, stop worrying. We won't make your new girlfriend run off screaming and crying this time. She might actually be cool," Carmen snorts afterwards telling me she didn't mean one word in the last two sentences of that. A vase was suddenly thrown at my head and I ducked just in time, it crashes into a thousand pieces at my feet. Carter is laughing her ass off, curled over at the stomach and pointing at me; also telling me she threw it.

Faster than a human eye could make out, I tackled my little sister to the ground and she squeals in protest as we crash to the throws a punch but I use my strength against her and shove her arm onto the ground and I narrow my eyes at her. "Never do that again," I growl and she nods quickly and silently, "Good now Mom has to talk to all of you. Go!"

They grumble and mumble and file out; before you ask, Carmen is the oldest but she wasn't mature at all. A few moments later I hear Carter complaining about having to wear a dress and Carmen cheering because she gets new clothes. I leave the guest room, picking my way around glass and wall plaster that came off with everything being thrown. The thing from Drake's hand was Carter's iPod and now it was buzzing with a text on her dresser, wanting attention. I unlock the thing with her first initial, a period, and our last name in all capitals and a text pops up.

A text from a guy I'd never heard of before reads: **Hey, Babe, you coming over tomorrow night? ;)**. I text back a quick _"Nope, I'm busy and you're way too old for me. We're through, never talk to me again._" and I lock the phone again. The picture for the contact had to be at least a thirty-year-old man and I quickly deleted his contact and the message I just sent from the history. Then I set the phone where Drake left it and went downstairs where my mother was fitting Drake for some new jeans. She had her light blonde hair in a high bun and her dark green eyes were shining at the return of her children.

"Watch it!" Carmen shouts from somewhere and then I heard something being picked up and thrown at something, or someone. Next there's a thump as, probably, Carter falls to the ground before grabbing something and throwing it back at her.

I roll my eyes, "I'm going over to Iggy's," I say and leave before my mom can stop me; I head for my motorcycle. Traffic is scarce, never thickening or getting better; I finally pull up in front of Iggy's house and I notice Nudge's car in the driveway.

When I walk in, I didn't knock, the first thing I hear is snoring coming from a back room and it was followed by a giggle. I moved silently along the wall, waiting for another sound before I stepped quickly on the huge creaking board space just to leap off again. Iggy had the floor people purposefully put in loud creaking floorboards near his bedroom so he could tell when someone was coming. I hide silently beside his open bedroom door, peaking in slightly to find a naked Nudge covered by a thick comforter and a almost-naked Iggy lying behind her. For a small moment I contemplate on just turning around and leaving the house, to give them some peace.

"What the Hell are you doing?" I charge in, picking Iggy up by his neck and slamming him against the bedroom wall. Nudge shrieked, grabbing her nightgown and yanking it on over her unruly curls; she hops up tries to pry my fingers off of Iggy's neck. "You took my little sister's virginity, you dick," I growl and slam him into the wall; Nudge shrieks again.

She grabs onto my bicep, "He didn't know, Fang! Stop it! Let him down!" she screams and I drop my hand from Iggy's throat, growling a bit. He splutters on the ground, coughing and trying to get lungs back into his lungs like a fish would after being thrown back into the water.

"We're leaving, right now, so get dressed and meet me in the living room," I narrow my eyes, daring her to challenge me. Before I could register it, Nudge moves forward and pecks Iggy's lips before turning and going into the bathroom across the hall with her bag.

Iggy chokes out, "Before you kill me, you should know that I didn't just do that to get into her pants, Fang. I did that because I love her and she loves me," he sounded so sure of this; he sounded like a weak little girl.

The door to the bathroom slammed open again and I glared at Iggy, "We'll be talking about this later," then I turn and leave. Nudge sulks on the motorcycle ride, having to sit in front of me with her legs in an awkward position so they were together. She was in pain, I could tell and yet she wouldn't admit it; she just looked down and tried not to fall off.

When we got into our home she started to yell, "I can't believe you humiliated me like that! So what if we slept together?! So what if it was my first time?! He loves me and I love him! That's all that matters, Fang! Wasn't that the only thing that mattered to you when you and Max did it the first time?! Of course not, because you're Fang and you only ever talk to Max about your feelings and huge ego! Just because you are in some big disagreement with Max, doesn't mean you can make my life just as bad!" she shoves me. I don't move an inch, staring straight up at the man that had approached during her little speech and he didn't look pleased, at all.

"What happened?" my dad forced out; Nudge's eyes widened and she spun to stare up at her adoptive father. He was staring me down, trying to force it out of me and Nudge knew by his clenched jaw that he heard her whole ramble.

She tried to stall by throwing her arms around his neck, "Daddy, you're home! Where's Mom and the others?" He shushed her with a hard look and repeated his question from before, "Well Fang and I are in this play. He's the father and I'm the hormonal teenage daughter, which is what the whole 'slept with him' part of the bit was."

I snorted and she glared at me; it was the best excuse she could come up with at the moment but Dad wasn't buying it. "When your girlfriend comes over tomorrow night, so does this boy you're talking about. Am I understood?" Nudge meekly nods and I shrug as if I could care less when I knew in reality my dad would probably eat Iggy alive for sleeping with his favorite daughter. This dinner was going to be a disaster.


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: What is up my dawgs? Lol, I used to live in Georgia but I'm not a BullDAWGS fan... like, at all. Anyways! Here we are, another chapter and a lot more reviews than I've ever gotten before. That excites me too much. Haha! Well, I would make this incredibly long but I have a twelve page essay due Friday and I haven't even started.**_

_**WARNING! The ending of this is gonna make some of you scream in frustration. *evil laugh* PLEASE NO HATING ON MEEEEE!**_

_**Enjoy your chappie! -BlackSkinnyJeans101**_

_Thirteen_

When I told the girls about the dinner, they were ecstatic and pretty much screaming in excitement all too soon. They bombarded me with questions on how he asked me and whatnot; I told them of my bath and how he came in. That made them all melt, not really, with all the 'hotness' or whatever; by that point I wore earplugs. After a little while they started asking me about what I would wear, what I plan on doing with my hair and so on. When I truthfully told them I had no idea, they pounced and begged me to go to the mall and I agreed rather glumly; being taken to the mall with a bunch of girls on a mission isn't my idea of fun.

The day of the dinner was spent with pedicures, manicures, hair cuts, facials, mud baths, and shopping in the mall. Kate, Star, and JJ were the only ones that could make it and they flocked me, taking me into different stores and parlors. My blonde-brown hair was trimmed and curled so the locks looked like perfection and I was currently supporting twelve shopping bags. Fang said the dinner was to be formal and I had absolutely no idea what to wear, which is why I agreed to the shopping thing in the first place. That was when the girls pounced and dragged me into hair and nail salons and I was even forced into a mud bath.

**~FLASHBACK~**

_"No! Please don't make me do this!" I screech, trying to tug away from Kate, who has her arms wrapped tightly around my waist. For such a tiny girl and her supermodel looks she seriously had some strength in her; I punched at her arm that was wrapped around me._

_Kate laughed loudly, "Never! Your skin isn't smooth enough!" she tugs me closer to the huge tub of thick brown mud. Another lady was in there, looking horrified when I came to falling in and splashing her but I quickly pushed Kate backwards. I was only covered in a white towel with a stretching top that wrapped around my chest and under my armpits; I was almost completely naked under the thing._

_Star came and grabbed my arms, pulling us forward to get me back to the tub, "It'll only take an hour Max, don't worry!" She cackled and JJ finally came and shoved on Kate; we all lost our balance and fell into the hot-tub sized tank of mud. We submerged in our soaked towel-things; I reached for the towel a worker held out to me but they had to brush it across my hand so I knew it was there._

_We rested in the mud after wiping what we could off of our faces but the girls complained about their hair and it's state. After that incident and an hour in the mud, we stumbled out and over to the showers to wash off all of the hardening mud. We left the salon, going across from the store to the nail salon where ladies with bright colored hair swished us to a back room. I was forced onto a long table-plank thing and my arms and legs were cuffed down to the surface tightly. A second later a stinging pain ran up my arms, legs, and armpits quickly; it yanked all of the hair out of it's place. We were kicked out after I kicked one of the ladies too hard in the shin._

**~END OF FLASHBACK~**

In the end I was hairless on my body from the neck down and my eyebrows were plucked harshly, along with the rest of it. I felt prim and proper but the multiple shopping bags on my arms were starting to make me lose my circulation. The girls chatted happily on the way back to my house where they were going to pick out one of the outfits and then do my make-up. As soon as we were in my room, the door was shut and locked with a chair firmly under the nod just in case; I gulp. They attack me with mascara, eyeliner, blush, lipgloss and a lot of other things that I just don't care to know the name of.

**~FLASHBACK~**

_I drop my multiple bags onto my bed, shifting through one to find the knee-length skirt I planned to wear to the dinner. When the door slammed shut behind me I wondered why the girls left; I guess they believed I could do this on my own. Only a second later after I thought this foolishly, someone grabbed the back of my neck and told me to take a shower. They pushed me into the bathroom and I took a fast shower, trying not to panic about this whole thing. Afterwards the girls plopped me down on the seat in front of my vanity and I was tied to the chair; legs and all._

_"No!" I screamed and wriggled, trying to get the ropes to drop or snap but I was tied firmly to the chair while the girls approached. Star held a contained of at least fifty shades of eyeshadow and eyeliner, and other stuff having to do with eye makeup. JJ held stuff having to do with lips; lip liner, lipstick, and that weird stuff that makes your lips look irresistible. And Kate had blush and foundation, which all of the girls agreed not to use since I was almost blemish-free._

_Why would girls want to cake all of this crap on their faces anyways? Haven't they ever heard of natural beauty? Apparently three of my best friends don't think the same way, considering here they are; poking and prodding at me. It was enough to have my hair ripped off of my body, but this was just plain ridiculous even for a makeover. They were using way too much makeup for my liking._

_"Stop moving or I will be forced to stab you in the eye with this eyeliner pencil!" Star shouts angrily when I blink quickly as she tries to work. I growl but stop myself, letting her do my eye makeup; I made sure to throw out complaints every time she pulls away for a second. The girls have to fight me once again when they let me out to get dressed; we ended up in a heap on the ground, laughing maniacally._

**~END OF FLASHBACK~**

Now I stand in front of my full length mirror, staring at the girl that stared back at me with the same narrow-eyed look. My red-striped black dressed reached a little above mid-thigh thanks to my long, tanned legs and the heels I was forced into. A little black bow went around a black strip that wrapped around my waist; I slipped on my incredibly tall dark red heels. I put in some silver and black rose earrings with a matching ring for my left middle finger, and a red heart stone on a silver chain went around my neck. I grabbed my black handbag and slipped some black and silver bangles on my right wrist; and the girls attacked me with eye makeup.

"Ready?" Macy knocked on my door, telling me Fang was waiting outside again in his car at the gates; I fluff my hair once more. This dinner was making me jittery, but I tried to appear calm and collected as I turned towards some of my best friends.

JJ comes and places a hand on my bare shoulder, "Don't worry, hun, everything is going to go amazingly with you there." She hands me my black cover-up, which I shrug on but I don't put my arms through the sleeves; it's too hot for even a cover-up.

They walk me downstairs, me taking careful steps with my wobbling heels and when I walk in the kitchen I almost topple over in surprise. There stood Fang, leaning against the countertop in a button-down dark blue top, dark blue jeans without rips, and fancy-ish shoes. He was talking to my mother, nodding as she talked about the different colleges she wanted me to get into. Maya was sitting on Dylan's lap at the dining room table, feeding him fresh strawberries and sticking a grape in her mouth before kissing him and letting it into his mouth. It's quite sickening really; I wrinkle my nose slightly in disgust at the two idiots.

"You look amazing," Fang says suddenly, snapping we away from Maya and to the grinning guy I'd fallen in love with. My lips twitched in a smile but I didn't reply so he looked back at my mother, "Well, Mrs. Martinez, I better be on my way. Thank you for the lovely chat," he picked up her hand and kissed the back of it; he gently grasped my arm and pulled me out of the house.

It was a stunned silence from me for half of the ride before I finally snapped and looked at him, bewildered beyond belief. "What the heck was that, Fang? She absolutely hates you, why in the world would you actually try talking to her like a civil person? And what is with the whole hand kissing thing? Where did that come from?"

He smirked at me, "If sucking up to your mother helps me get on your good side and her good side again, then I'll do it. And the hand kissing thing was something I saw in a movie once," he adds after a moment; I cross my arms.

When we finally arrived at his house, I pull down the mirror and mess with my hair; yes, I am trying to stall incase you're wondering. Fang nudged me out of the car and I followed him up the walkway, fiddling with the edge of my cover-up sweater thing. The first thing I noticed when we stepped into his house was the mess sitting in almost every place of the house. Glass shards, drink spills, dents in the walls, and all of the loud noise coming from somewhere upstairs. Fang was glowering, staring at the mess as well before glancing over at me and dragging me through it all and into the kitchen.

"Mom, this is Max," Fang says as we enter the kitchen; a young woman turns from where she's at the stove and she smiles at me. Her blonde hair is done in an elaborate bun, her dark green eyes that Drake must have inherited are sparkling, and she looked amazing in her black cocktail dress.

She grins and walks over to me and giving me a tight hug, "The infamous Max! It's so great to finally meet you! I'm Fang's mom, of course, but you can call me Valencia!" she says with a bright smile once again.

That's when Drake literally rolls down the stairs in the same clothes as Fang but he was wearing green and black khakis. "Alright, come on Carter it's your turn!" he yells and soon a girl, maybe fourteen years old, rolls down like a ninja. She hops up and glares at Drake, running her hands down her dark purple dress and fluffing up her black hair.

"No stair rolling in the house," an older version of Fang sighs, walking past the two and then coming into the kitchen. There was an awkward silence even as another girl, older than Fang, comes waltzing down the stairs like a pageant girl. We all share looks before the older girls' mouth twists up into what would be a creepy smirk if it wasn't me that we're talking about.

"This will be interesting," she says and Fang shoots her a hard look.

_***NUDGE'S POV***_

"Just calm down, Max is there," I try to console Iggy on the way to my house; he actually dressed nicely for this dinner. I knew Max was still pretty angry from what Fang told me the night before, but I also knew she would love the conversations of this family. We aren't normal, that's for sure, but neither is she or Iggy; they aren't the wimps we used to date back when.

Iggy's grip only slightly loosens from his death hold on the steering wheel, "Your father already hates me, Nudge. He's known me since I moved here and now he wants to kill me," he remarks with a sardonic smile; I bite down on my bottom lip.

"He doesn't know it was you, maybe it won't be too bad since you're already like a second son to him," I try.

He glances at me, amused, "He already has two sons, Nudge."

"Okay then you're a third son. That's not the point! The point is he's going to like you after this dinner and we'll be fine." I say, he doesn't reply and instead turns so we're parked in the driveway and staring at my, now filled, home.

Max walks out in a short-ish dress and rushes over to the car, "I don't care how angry I am with you guys, but you have to get in there. It's like you can pretty much slice the tension in the air," she says, yanking open my door and grabbing my wrist. She pulls me into the house, leaving Iggy to switch off the car and mess with his hair before he believed it looked perfect. Max wasn't lying, inside the house was completely silent with Fang and Carmen giving each other the evil eye that I hadn't seen since the girlfriend that ran away screaming a couple of years ago.

Mom brightens when she sees me walk into the kitchen, "Nudge! Honey, you look beautiful!" she grins at my dark pink dress and small black pumps. Fang breaks the stare down long enough to pull Max into his side; she doesn't pull away but she doesn't relax like she usually would.

A few moments later Iggy shuffles into the room with his eyes pointed on the ground; Mom swoops him into a hug. "Young James Griffiths, you look so grown up and handsome! You must be the secret boyfriend Nudge rambles on and on about over the phone all the time!" she exclaims and I flush at Iggy's smirk sent my way.

Dad glares daggers at Iggy then moves us all to the dining room, sitting us all around the table and helping Mom get all of the food. I take a seat beside Iggy before Carmen can, Iggy sits beside Max, and Fang is on the other side of Max. Drake, Carmen, and Carter all sit across from us and Mom takes one head of the table while Dad takes another. At first it's completely silent other than the clinking of metal spoons on glass as we eat the first course, the soup. Max is fiddling with her dress, trying to pull it down somewhere it rode up a lot from her sitting down in it; Fang slid off his dress jacket and handed it to her. Her lips twitched slightly as she lays the jacket over her legs, crossing them and sitting back while eating soup; Fang smirks a little.

Carmen breaks the ice, "So from what I can tell Max and Fang have had sex? And little Nudge have had sex? Right?" I almost snicker when she says it about Max and Fang, but when she brings me and Iggy into it I feel myself flush.

Mom is mortified, "Carmen, don't speak like that to guests!" she says in a harsh voice, but she doesn't yell or even raise her voice.

Max sets down her spoon calmly, "Actually yes, Carmen, we have and it was absolutely amazing unlike your experiences, I'm sure." Fang almost starts laughing, but he grabs his napkin and holds it over his mouth as he snickers at Carmen's peeved expression.

Dad is completely silent as Carmen replies, "Oh really now? So is your bellybutton still bruised from the impact?" [A/N: If you don't get it then she's asking if her bellybutton is still bruised from when Fang 'missed'. Yeah... awkward.] To my utter surprise Max starts to laugh, having to take a drink of water when her throat runs dry.

"Trust me, that's not the place that's bruised," she says, picking up her glass and pretending to study the water in it. Carmen starts gagging, choking on the pieces of chicken Mom chopped; Fang was laughing along with Drake, Dad, and Iggy.

I snickered a little as Mom got up, red in the face from laughing as well, and started gathering bowls but max stood up. She smiled and helped Mom take all of the dirty dishes into the kitchen, I hear them murmuring together and Mom laughing at something. Fang finally controls himself first, grabbing the soda he poured in his wine glass and taking a few gulps. Dinner went by slowly with Max going back and forth against Carmen and sometimes Carter; Drake was too busy looking through porn on his phone to care about even eating. Afterwards Fang took Max back to his room and Iggy stayed for a little while longer to talk to my dad; I kissed his cheek before I followed my sisters to their room.

"Mom says we're going to move," Carter says as soon as the door is shut and she plops down on the bed to take off her heels.

Carmen shakes her head, "Knowing her it'll be somewhere far away from here and we won't be coming back anytime soon. I can't believe that Max girl said something like that to me, and then the guys just laughed while I almost died!"

"You had it coming," I shake my head and help Carter unzip her dress; she goes into the closet to grab her suitcase and pajamas. "Never thought you would meet your match, huh?" I snicker when she tries and fails to glare at me properly; we'd always been the closest of us four.

"Maybe we should invite Max over again for a girls' day," Carter suggests, throwing one of her high-heels across the room. It slams into the wall, making a small hole where the blade on the bottom of the heel goes straight through. She throws the other one, making it in the small red circle of the dartboard, which she unpacks before anything else every time.

Carmen nods, a plan forming, "Yes, let's."

_***MAX'S POV***_

"What the heck is that girls' problem? How did they roll down stairs like that and get up like they didn't feel a thing? That isn't possible, Fang!" I pace on his dark grey carpet, ignoring my bra that I accidently left here last time. Two strong arms wrap around my waist and they sit me on a lap that belongs to a boy, who sits on a dark gray loveseat sofa.

The familiar scent of Fang, woodsy and chocolatey, reach my nose immediately and I relax in his grip but only slightly. He isn't forgiven for bringing me to his house just for a dinner with his family even though I did mostly enjoy himself. It isn't easy getting back the full trust of Maximum Martinez, as well all know, but after a while at least I'll give them a second chance. Fang peppered my neck in small kisses, never trying to advance or slow down while I tried to make sense of it all in my head. When I didn't resume to the way I act when he usually does this, I'm too distracted to get into it at the moment, he finally gives in.

Fang sighs into my neck and, ignoring the shudders I felt, he said, "We aren't exactly a very normal family." I look at him like "no duh" and he continues, "The thing is we have this huge family secret that no one knows. Not even Iggy knows; Nudge does since she's a part of it but no one else," he snuggles into my neck again.

"You're all having secret affairs?" I guess and he shakes his head, chuckling a little bit at my insane guessing skills. "You're all actors in disguise? No wonder you look exactly like Avan Jogia, because you are him!" I exclaim, but he once again shakes his head with a smirk. "I lost my memory four years ago and we're actually married where you're the king and I'm the queen and we actually live in a land that no one but our families know exists?" I try,

"No Max, I would've already tried to get you to remember that if that were the case," he says softly and I nod a little.

"You're secret spies that have to save the world from a man in a white suit that always carries around a cat and has a princess in hostage?" I guess. I swear I felt him tense up only a little behind me, but it could've just been my overactive imagination making that happen.

He finally says, so quiet I can barely hear it, "Something like that," and then he lets me go and slides me onto the couch. "Come on, I'll drive you home," he says and holds out his hand, which I take and let him pull me out of the room and down the hall again.

Carter and Carmen step in front of us on our way to the front door, "Max, we wanted to know if you'd want to have a sleepover sometime. We need some friends so you can bring them, too," Carter says innocently, too innocently but I didn't really care.

"Uh, sure," I agree and then Fang swooshes me out of the house and into his car where I flip on the radio in silence. All too soon we arrive in front of my house and he pauses the car, flipping off the car and turning to look at me.

He takes both of my hands in his and I look down, "I know you're angry at me, Max, and I feel terrible because of it. The truth is I wanted to tell you about my family, but I couldn't no matter how hard I tried to get it out. Right now, I can't explain it unless my family says it's okay, then I will tell you everything that I haven't already told you. Family comes first no matter how annoying they are," he reaches towards my face and pushes my hair behind my ear, taking a single teardrop with it.

I nod a little, "You're right, Fang. Family should always come first, but right now I can't fully forgive you so I just want a little break. We'll still talk, but until you're family says it's alright I don't think I can trust you." Then I lean forward and pecked his cheek, "Bye Fang, I'll see you tomorrow," and I hurriedly get out of the car before I can see his expression. I rush inside and collapse on my bed, crying and wondering what I just ruined.

******_***A/N: Yikes! Max is taking this a little too seriously... oh well she goes back to school in the next chapter which is a week after this happens... let's go see what happens! Bye!***_**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Good news is that I'm back in business! Bad news is that I'm trying to get back into that pattern of writing so this is going to suck! More bad news is that my boyfriend- of three years, mind you- and I had a falling out so I'm also distracted, which is going to make this chapter even worse. But, hey, it's chapter and I'm working on the next one right now!**

**So, please DON'T LEAVE HATE and I'll do better, I swear!**

**Alright, bye chickas and... chickos? -BlackSkinnyJeans101**

_Fourteen_

It was Monday, a week after I told Fang that I wanted a break and I feel even more terrible now, since he's pretty much ignoring me. I want to take back what I said, I desperately do, but that would show weakness and I'm terrible at showing weakness. Macy comes into my room without even knocking, she spreads the curtains of my room and chirps at me to wake up. Groaning, I roll on my bed until suddenly I'm falling and I land on my carpet; Macy snickers as she leaves the room quietly. My shower takes five minutes, then I quickly do my hair, and go through my closet for the lazy clothes I set away from everything else.

I wore some white Nike really short tennis shorts, a faded blue Superman loose t-shirt, and I slipped into some dark blue Ugg boots. Then I put on some bracelets with a necklace Fang somehow got in my clutch the night of the dinner._**{A/N: *sigh* link on PROFILE}**_ I put my hair in a weird bun but I could honestly care less; I walked downstairs and past the kitchen without even glancing at the food. As always Nudge sat in my driveway with the make-up and the small granola bar I had agreed to eat just to shut her up. She took one look at my outfit and shook her head but she unlocked the car and I slid into the passenger seat.

"Here, eat it," she commands as she starts rubbing the makeup under my eyes to hide the bruise-colored rings. She's been coming every morning to cover the rings and to feed me a granola bar, which is the only thing I agreed to. Then she left for Iggy's house or school and I was once again alone to deal with my stay-at-home sister, Maya. Except for today, I had agreed to start going to school again and Nudge claimed that it was about time.

I don't even remember the last time I took my pregnancy control pills, I just remember taking them the day after Fang and I did the deed. It's not like it matters now anyways, I don't have an actual boyfriend only a boyfriend that I'm on break from. Fang hasn't called to check up on me like he used to every night and I've only seen Iggy once ever since the dinner. I pick at my tennis shorts and munch unhappily at the granola bar that just tastes like sandpaper to me. Nudge looked tense, her hands tightening on the steering wheel and her eyes flicking over at me every other minute or so. Sometimes I think the girls are taking this thing a lot worse than Fang is; from what I've heard he's trying out for the school's track team.

Anyways, after I talked to Fang that night I had completely fallen apart in the exact way I was trying to avoid so long ago. I stopped looking at food with a hunger, I started just staying in my pajamas all day to watch sappy movies and eat icecream, and I just couldn't sleep. Now Nudge pulls out of the driveway, heading for the one place I've dreaded for my last week off on break. When we arrived the first thing I saw was Fang, hanging with the football players and the guys of our group and laughing along. Nudge looks at me guiltily but I just stand from the car, immediately eyes turn on me and the jocks begin to whistle; I flip them off.

"Come on, Babe, we heard you're free now!" one called; I frowned but didn't dare take a peek at Fang for I would just break down. Nudge grabs my wrist and tugs me inside, never letting her eyes stray from ahead of her; I, on the other hand, looked around at all of the kids staring. I knew this would happen, of course, everyone's used to the power couple together and now we're acting like two enemies.

Lisa steps in front of me with a fake look of sympathy on her face, "I'm sorry about your break-up with Fang, Max. Everyone's talking about it," she slings an arm over my shoulder and I'm too tired to shove it off again. Nudge glances over her shoulder when Iggy calls her, "Go to your boyfriend, Nudge, I'll keep an eye on Max." Lisa tells Nudge and soon Nudge dashes off towards her boyfriend, showing no self-control of her own movements.

"What do you want?" I snarl as soon as Nudge is gone; I grab Lisa's wrist and take it off of my shoulder slowly. My head was spinning from my lack of food, and yet I didn't feel in the least bit hungry; my stomach growled in disagreement.

She smiled, "I want you and I to hang out this weekend, you know some girl time. And I could totally help you get back up on your feet to where all of the guys are falling for you just like they are for me." To prove this she winks at a passing football player and he smirks back, dipping his head and shoving his hands into his pockets.

I sigh, aggravated, "If I agree will it get me out of this conversation?" I ask and she squeals, nods, and hugs me before running off. After she's gone I troop to my first class, dropping down in a seat in the very back, aware of Nudge frowning and following me with her eyes. I pull out my house key and start scratching into the black top of the desk until our teacher walks in with the rest of the students.

Brigid walks in with them and she takes the now-empty seat next to Nudge, grinning and looking over at Fang with a wink. To my utter disgust he returns it with a smirk; Nudge watches as well then looks back at me but I just look down. When class is out, I'm the last one out the door until my teacher, Jerry, calls me back into the classroom. He's sitting on the corner of his desk, rubbing his glasses with the bottom of his shirt and setting them back on his nose. He wasn't stupid, he noticed how I isolated myself from everyone else and tried not to make eye contact with Fang, Iggy, or Nudge.

"Miss Martinez, I know you just got back from your doctor's break, but you can't start slacking in this class because of the accident. Tomorrow I want you to sit with Dylan and work with him, alright?" he asks and I agree with an expressionless face. I leave the room and walk down the hall to my next class, once again isolating myself from everyone else.

When lunch rolled around the corner I sat down next to Nudge and Kate and stared down at my food, barely touching the chocolate chip cookie. "Max, you haven't been eating enough," Nudge snaps shoving a cookie close to my face and waving it around impatiently.

"Maybe I'm just not hungry," I snatched the cookie away and dropped it onto Sam's plate, shoving the rest of my lunch away.

Angel sighs, "Would you at least eat a cup of ice-cream?" she asks, pulling out a dollar so we could get some of the school's ice-cream.

Nudge looked hopeful until I replied, "No way," and she threw her hands in the air, nearly smacking Iggy in the face.

She narrows her eyes, "You need to eat! You can't keep starving yourself like this!" she exclaims causing most of the cafeteria to go dead quiet and turn towards us. Brigid decides to take that moment to burst into the lunchroom in a pencil skirt and blouse with matching heels. She walks over to our table, plopping down next to a silent Fang that couldn't succeed in catching my eyes.

"You know, Max," Brigid snaps, "she's right about the whole starving yourself thing. Just because Fang broke up with you doesn't mean you should be this hard on yourself." That was the last straw; I grab my filled lunch tray and dump it over her head before turning and leaving the cafeteria like a boss.

Soon Kate, Angel, JJ, Star, and Nudge rush out; they explained that last time I stormed out of the cafeteria I went missing. They didn't say anything as we just roamed around the school, then we went to our classes and I left my head down for the rest of the day. Afterwards Lisa found me in the parking lot, explaining how we would go and get our make-overs and then have a sleepover at my place after. I groaned, knowing this would be torturous and I didn't know if I could handle it at the moment; everything was happening so fast. When Fang walked out of the school building and saw me talking to Lisa, he raised an eyebrow but then went back to his track friends.

"Let's do it," I decide and Lisa squeals, dragging me to her car; Nudge, Kate, Angel, Star, and JJ looked confused along with Holden, Ratchet, Ari, Sam, Fang, Iggy, and Gazzy. I slid into the passenger seat, allowing Lisa to chatter even though I wasn't listening.

It's been an hour into this girl trip and Lisa was throwing little pieces of clothing into the dressing room, continuing without a pause. I tried it all on and let her see before she agreed on some things and disagreed on others; my credit card was going to get whiplash. We wandered through every slutty store in the mall until we were forced to rent a cart for all of the bags. Lisa was chatting about the latest gossip, filling me in on stuff I didn't actually care about at all; she acted like she did at school. After two minutes of persuasion I was able to drag her into Forever21; I took her back to the best section, but she looked at it in pure disgust.

"Just try on a few things, okay? For me?" I do the thing with puppy dog eyes that she'd been doing for the past hour. She groaned but agreed and locked herself in a dressing room while I started fingering through the clothes. I took maybe four things down for me since most of the stuff was already in my closet, but I took down a lot of stuff for Lisa, too. I threw the stuff over the dressing room door and listened as it plopped down on the floor at Lisa's feet.

There was some shuffling and then Lisa swung open the door now in some cute ripped skinny jeans and a dark green top. She looked a lot like someone I could get along with during those couple of minutes of both of us staring at her reflection in the mirror. "What about shoes? I only own heels," she looked to me and I bit down on my bottom lip for a moment.

"We'll go down to Shoe Emporium after we finish up here," I decide and Lisa nods while turning around in front of the mirror to check out every side. "I like it, Lisa, you actually look cool and not like a total... well, you know," I trail off awkwardly and Lisa nods slowly. She was still gazing at her reflection where her red hair clashed perfectly with the dark top and the ripped jeans actually weren't bad for her.

She suddenly started twiddling her thumbs, "You know that whole being a slut thing isn't real, right Max? It's just an act that I've been playing for my father," she shook her head sadly and stepped back into the dressing room. Something about the tone of her voice confused me, that usual squeaky tone was replaced with a normal teenage girl voice. It was the same voice I would look for on an athlete, but not on a Lisa so it was kind of odd hearing the tone on Lisa. Ever since 6th grade she had that squeak to her tone, always making the sentence sound screechy.

I was staring confusedly at the dark door, "How do you mean? Why would you act like a total slut for your father?" I frown and start fingering through the racks outside of her door. I pick out some short-shorts and crop tops and throw them over her door along with some tank-tops.

There was a pause for a good three minutes before Lisa decided to replay, "My father wants me acting like the stupid little spoiled brat. He says all of his coworkers have dumb daughters, other than your dad, and that we need to just blend in. So he told me he would pay for my college if I spent the four years of high-school acting like a slutty spoiled brat." There was that hint of hate lingering in her words and I found myself leaning against the wall as I replayed her story over and over in my head.

"We could always get you a job, you know," I murmur and Lisa steps out again in a new outfit and she slightly nods at me to continue. "That way you wouldn't have to go to school looking and acting like a slut and we could actually hang out. I'll even get a job with you for after school," I smile slightly when Lisa agrees excitedly, claiming she never thought about getting a job.

We end up getting Lisa twelve new outfits before we leave Forever 21 and head for another store of my favorites. This time she pours over the clothes, grabbing jeans and narrowly avoiding the skirts on the other side of the store. She gets fifteen outfits there and then we make our way to the largest shoe store I had ever been in. We go through the fifty aisles, grabbing pairs that would match her new outfits and avoiding the super tall heels she would normally float to as if on impulse. When we finish I take her to the bathroom in the mall's Belk and I let her change into her favorite outfit before we leave.

"I feel so new," Lisa squealed and did a 360 for me in her new ripped dark skinny jeans, white long-sleeved shirt, and black knee-high boots. She grinned at me through the mirror considering her back was too me and I was removing the clips and such from her hair. I brushed it out and the pretty red waves fell down her back perfectly; I let her get down and take in her new makeup-free and hairspray-free look in the full-body mirror.

Even I find myself smiling, "You actually look really awesome," I comment and she grins at me and next thing I know she's engulfing me in a hug. "Let's go to the food court, and yes you do have to eat something other than a small salad and small water."

She rolls her eyes and tries to speak again, "I was going to say great I'm starving and I could seriously go for a meatball sub and a large sweet tea." We leave the Belk and head for the food court when she suddenly jerks me back into a store with a wide smile. "Wait, you still need to change out of those clothes if we're going to show off my new look then we need to show everyone the breakup isn't going to kill you on the inside."

"It didn't kill me on the inside and we aren't even technically broken up, Lisa. I told him that maybe we should just have a break from each other and didn't give him a chance to argue with me," I tell her truthfully.

She nods sadly and gives me a sorry smile, "I heard that he broke up with you so I just assumed that was why you weren't in school for another week after him. Please let me help you pick out an outfit?" she widens her dark green eyes and pouts out her bottom lip. The look was so puppy-like that I found myself watching her carefully to see if she would suddenly turn into a ravenous dog or something. Then I rolled my eyes at my stupidness, someone turning into a ravenous dog is just a fantasy that won't come true.

I agree and we start going through the store, grabbing stuff for me until we finally come together with a new outfit. The black ripped skinny jeans matched the white crop top that had a mouth in black, gray and white on the front and the teeth in the mouth were biting down slightly on the corner of the bottom lip and the mouth was surrounded by black spikes. Then I slip on black Fever Pitch heels along with a black leather jacket that I left unzipped. I put in some black chandelier earrings and slipped on a ring that resembled a curled feather and another ring of a skull surrounded by roses. I clipped a silver chain with a skull pendant around my neck and snapped a black multi-strand bracelet around my left wrist.

Before leaving, I bought a belly-button ring that had a music symbol inside of a silver circle and I quickly slipped it in. I got my belly button pierced without Nudge a few weeks ago and I got the woman to do it at my house so I wouldn't have to leave. Sighing, I left the store with Lisa and we finally went to the food court right after Lisa made me take my hair down. The bun made it extremely wavy and it fell down my back in waves that reached past my mid-back now after going a few weeks without a haircut. We walked into the food court and Lisa went to the Subway while I ventured to the Chick-fil-a for some nuggets.

"What the hell are you doing here with Lisa?" a way too familiar voice hisses at me; I thank the lady at the counter and take my tray after paying. Nudge follows me to the table Lisa put her purse on and I put down my tray then turn to look at my friend.

I raise an eyebrow, "That honestly isn't any of your business, Nudge. Just because you've been taking care of me for the past week doesn't mean you're now my mom and can know everything about me." Her eyes flicker over my appearance and I see her eyes sadden slightly when she sees my pierced stomach.

"Well unless you want to explain the situation to the others then I suggest you get out of here," Nudge narrows her eyes back at me. I look around her and sure enough the rest of the flock is sitting at our usual table, talking and laughing with each other. It was as if I never even existed, as if one of their friend's wasn't missing from their huge group and I felt my stomach pang hurtfully.

I look back to Nudge, "Just go sit with your friends, Nudge, I really don't need this right now," I frown when I see her eyes are no longer pointed at me.

"Hey Max, the guy at the counter said that Coco's is hiring if we wanted to check it out," Lisa appeared beside me.

My eyes flickered to her for a second, "Okay we can check it out next weekend but right now we should just eat and get out of here." Nudge was on her way back to the flock's table and Lisa nodded understandingly; we sat down and started eating. Lisa practically shoved the whole foot-long in her mouth and then sucked down half of her sweet tea. "You're going to choke," I informed her and she slowed down, blushing slightly at her eating habits.

"Hey, ladies," a smooth voice said from above us and Lisa quickly wiped her mouth and swallowed the rest of her food. We both looked up and saw two guys from the football team, Brent and Cade, looking down at us with wide grins. Brent's eyes go wide when he realizes who I was with, "Lisa?" he questions disbelievingly and Lisa smirks. We both stood up and the guys staggered back, looking at us as if we would pounce and rip them to shreds in a second if they so much as looked at us wrong. I couldn't tell about Lisa but I was sick and tired of these two thinking they can flirt with anything that has stylish hair and boobs.

Lisa twirled some hair around her finger, "Don't you like my new look, Brent?"

He gulped visibly and Cade elbowed him in the side and then answered for him, "It's cool and all but a little too badass for you." I rolled my eyes and shoved his shoulder, he fell back into a chair and stared at me, bewildered.

"She is not a slut you can pick up at a party, Cade, so get your ass and your friend's ass out of here before I kick them out of here." They both leave and Lisa curls over laughing; Kate, JJ, Star, Nudge, and Angel are all staring at me in betrayal now. "Let's get out of here and go to my place for that sleepover," I push some hair over my shoulder and leave with Lisa.

When we get to my place we head downstairs to the theater with our pajamas and such in our arms; Lisa goes to pick out a movie. I start the popcorn machine and pick two recliners to spread our sleeping bags on since we were planning on sleeping down here. We settle down tiredly and into the second movie I find that Lisa has fallen asleep with popcorn all over her lap. I roll my eyes and cut off the screen; I leave the theater and go upstairs to my bedroom to look for my journal. In third grade my mom gave me a journal, but I never used it and just put it somewhere and forgot about it but now I want it.

****The journal isn't what I find, however, when I step into my bedroom; instead, the whole flock- minus Ella- is standing around my room. Iggy moves to block the door before I can make a run for it; the last thing I wanted was to confront all of them right now. It seems, however, that I wouldn't get a choice in the matter this time.


End file.
